Secret Santa
by psychotic-rae17
Summary: To boost morale, Shepard decides to implement some Secret Santa gift-giving fun around the holidays. But when she receives an unexpected present from her Secret Santa, Shepard tried so find whoever it is and defuse the situation. FemShep/Liara pairing
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Characters do not belong to us. They belong to BioWare and any other creators of the Mass Effect universe. We do this for free, fun entertainment and do not mean to offend anyone.

**Rating/Warning:** This story is going to be rated MA (mature) for a sexual relationship involving two women. If such a relationship doesn't suit your tastes, I would suggest not reading this piece.

**A/N:** This was a story written last January, but we missed Christmas so we're posting it this year. This first chapter doesn't have any sexual content, but it does have some inappropriate humor. Most of all, please enjoy.

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**Secret Santa**

**Chapter 1**

Shepard kept her impeccable military bearing until she strode through the entryway of her cabin and heard the door whoosh closed behind her, but then she felt her shoulders begin to sag a little. She could physically fight against pirates, slavers, or hordes of geth for hours on end with barely a hint of fatigue, but put her in a room where she had to answer to bureaucracy and her own military chain of command for any length of time, and her energy drained quickly. Life as a soldier was hard, but it was the kind of work that Shepard knew she was suited for; she just hated having to justify many of her actions to people who had no true knowledge of what her crew went through on a daily basis.

Still, her contact with the Council was a new part of her life as the first human SpecTRe and she needed to get used to it. Shepard knew it was for the good of everyone that she continued to honor the duties of her new position, and all the trying responsibilities that came along with it. She and her crew had been running from one end of the galaxy to the other, taking care of this problem and that, with the Alliance perhaps taking advantage of finally having a SpecTRe in their ranks, and Shepard knew everyone on the Normandy was growing a little weary.

Shepard's attention was drawn from her inner reveries by the sight of a seasonally wrapped gift lying square in the middle of her perfectly made bed. A small smile tugged her tired lips upwards, and she felt a little lighter as she realized that her plan to boost morale might well be working. It had been nearly two weeks ago, while the Normandy had been on its way back to the Citadel for a few minor but necessary repairs, that Shepard had decided to raise the crew's spirits by suggesting they indulge in a little holiday cheer, as it was getting closer to December 25th.

She had run through a bunch of possibilities in her mind, and eventually decided that a Secret Santa gift exchange would be the most fun, and easy for everyone since they would only have to buy for one other crewmember. So, she had called the crew together and tossed the idea out there. After Joker's comment that he usually celebrated Hanukkah, but wasn't particularly picky as long as he got gifts, the humans on her crew had tried to give a general description of what Christmas was and who Santa was to everyone unfamiliar with the decidedly human holiday.

The reactions from the non-human crewmembers had been positive - everyone liked getting presents, it seemed, no matter what the excuse. Shepard had fielded several questions about Santa from Wrex, tried to explain the concept of stockings to Tali, and warned Liara that humans traditionally kissed under a plant called mistletoe, and she would do well to avoid it. She even showed the asari a picture on the extranet. Although she didn't want to admit it, the idea of anyone else kissing Liara made her stomach feel funny. She had a horrible crush on the shy archaeologist, and she thought maybe Liara returned her feelings, but was too afraid to either confirm or deny her suspicions once and for all.

Unfortunately, Liara wasn't the only one who seemed to be interested in her. She had subtly tried to deflect Kaidan's advances, but he didn't seem to be getting her subtle hints, and she didn't want to destroy their rapport by calling him out on it. Instead, she pretended to misinterpret and ignore his statements. Garrus spent an awful lot of time around her unnecessarily as well, and although Shepard liked to think that they were friends, she occasionally wondered if he wanted something more. Even Ashley Williams seemed to admire her more than necessary. In another life, Shepard might have even tried her luck with the Gunnery Chief, but lately, all her thoughts had been wrapped up in Liara. It was becoming a real problem.

With a sigh, Shepard picked up her gift, which was bedecked in green and pink hanar wrapping paper. Whoever her Secret Santa was, they had done a neat job of wrapping. It was a box shape, nothing unusual, and the medium sized package held no clues as to its contents. "Well, there's only one way to find out, I guess..." Shepard said with a gleeful grin, tearing the hanar paper and opening the box in a very childlike manner.

A few seconds later, she dropped it onto the bed as though she had been burned. "Oh my God!" With wide eyes, she stared down at the box, which had tipped over onto its side, sending the main item inside bouncing out onto the mattress. Even though her present was still in its protective plastic coating, Shepard was afraid to touch it. And she had absolutely no idea who would have gotten her a gift like this.

Shepard wasn't usually a prude when it came to sex, and she had certainly seen a strap-on before – hell, she had even used a few in her day – but she had not been expecting this sort of gift from any of her crew members. Still stunned, Shepard finally noticed the pristine white card that had fluttered away from the package as she'd dropped it unceremoniously onto the bed. She reached out and picked it up, wondering who's ass she would be making miserable in the near future for giving her such a present – although Shepard was at least pleased that she hadn't been made a laughing stock in front of the entire crew, since her Secret Santa had left this particular 'gift' in her quarters instead of the mess.

Staring down at the short, unsigned note, her jaw dropped even more as she read the provocative words written in clear black type. 'Just a little something I imagine we could appreciate together. I will be waiting for you in my quarters at zero hundred hours on December 25th. Perhaps we can enjoy your present together.' There was no signature and absolutely no clue as to who had written the note, since it had obviously been printed from a terminal instead of handwritten, and Shepard was nowhere near good enough with techie stuff to figure out which terminal it had printed from let alone _who_ might have printed it.

Shepard couldn't stop her mind from immediately picturing the scenario she most wanted, and lost herself for a moment to the fantasy. It would just be too good to be true if Liara had been the one to send the strap-on and the note. Shepard had fantasized about making love with Liara an unhealthy number of times and she was slightly embarrassed to admit that in many of those fantasies, she was strapped while doing it.

However, it wasn't long before Shepard shook herself out of that fantasy, realizing that it just didn't seem like Liara to be so bold. But that still didn't stop a little ember of hope from burning in her chest. Shepard took a deep breath to clear her scattered thoughts and reached out for the discarded box. She studied it through the clear plastic cover and observed that technology really must be advancing by leaps and bounds, because this was nothing like the models she had used before. Granted, Shepard hadn't used one since her days at the Academy, mostly because she'd been too busy since then to commit to more than a quick liaison to take the edge off her lust.

It was a fleshy pink color, slightly darker than her own skin tone, and rather intimidating in both length and girth. Shepard hoped that it could be adjusted. She flipped the clear packaging over to stare at the description on the back, snorting at the title of the 'how to use' section, because seriously, who didn't know how to use one of these? _Liara_, her mind answered sadly, and Shepard felt her stomach sink as she realized that the archaeologist would probably be the last person on her crew to get her this gift. Liara was shy, inexperienced, and since she came from a race of all-female aliens - monogendered aliens, Shepard automatically corrected herself, even though she still couldn't stop her brain from interpreting asari bodies as female - she probably had no idea what a strap-on was, and no interest in using one. Still, Shepard couldn't quite smother the small flame of hope in her heart...

But if Liara wasn't her Secret Santa, then who was? Someone on this ship obviously wanted her to fuck them, and she wanted to find out who, if only to let them know that nothing would come of it. Her first thought was Ashley - human, female, seemingly interested in her. But Ashley looked and carried herself in a very dominant way, so she probably wouldn't... Shepard suddenly realized that the person who had bought her this gift might expect _her_ to be on the receiving end, and her eyes bugged out. She dropped the package back on the bed. It wasn't something she fantasized about on a regular basis, but she wouldn't have minded if Liara asked...

"Damn it," Shepard muttered to herself, frustrated that she couldn't prevent her thoughts from constantly returning to Liara. It had to be someone else. Perhaps Ashley enjoyed being on the receiving end, and she was reading this all wrong. It could have been from someone else. There were other females on the ship. Tali, for example. And she was much more extroverted than Liara. She also came from a race with males, so the concept of a dick couldn't be completely foreign to her. Sometimes, it seemed like Tali was flirting with her during their talks in the engine room or when they went on missions together, but she acted that way around everyone. Perhaps she was just really, really friendly.

Shepard picked up the package again, curious despite her misgivings, and started scanning the description more closely. The words 'color and size adjustable' made her sigh with relief, because she really couldn't imagine Liara taking this thing as it looked now... "Liara didn't send it," she said aloud, hoping that hearing the words would convince her. She didn't want to be disappointed when she found out it was from Ashley, or Tali, or... What if it wasn't from a woman at all? What if it was from one of her male crewmembers? That was entirely possible. They weren't the majority – at least of the men Shepard had known in her life – but some guys liked to be dominated, and many of them liked anal. Shepard slapped her forehead with her free hand and groaned. What if it was Kaidan? He obviously wanted to get in her pants, but would he do something like this? What if he was a crossdresser, too? Or in to some seriously kinky shit she had never even imagined? Not that there was anything wrong with that, but she didn't want to be involved.

Kaidan wasn't the only guy on the ship. The present could have come from Garrus or Wrex. Somehow, she doubted it was Wrex, but the thought of having sex with Wrex - with him on the bottom - was so startling that it actually made her choke on air for a moment. That would definitely explain the size of the thing. Liara's slender hips would probably have difficulty with a toy of this size unless she scaled it down, but Wrex could probably take the default size no problem. Then Shepard realized that she was imagining fucking a male krogan in the ass and the relative ease with which it could be done, and wondered if there was a procedure for erasing one's memories besides drinking copious amounts of ryncol.

Shaking her head in the futile attempt to clear the disturbing mental images she had conjured up, Shepard decided that the only thing that would help her now was to search out whoever had sent her this toy and either join them in a laugh before killing them – or at least seriously maiming them – or tell them that it was never going to happen, because she wasn't interested in getting involved with one of her crew members. The only crew member that Shepard might break her own rule for was Liara, and for the first time that day, Shepard welcomed the pleasant mental images that came to mind as she thought about how great it could be between the two of them, since it purged those previous, nausea-inducing scenarios about her other team members out of her mind.

Aware that any member of her crew could access her cabin while she was away, Shepard stashed the _gift_ in a drawer and set out to start her investigation. Her first stop was the cockpit to see Joker, knowing that if he'd given her the present, then at least she wouldn't have to worry about it being a real proposition of some sort. Joker was a good guy, but a little sick with his humor occasionally – something that Shepard was willing to put up with because he was the best damn pilot she had ever flown with, and because he'd never overstepped his bounds, although this would come pretty close.

"What can I do for you, Commander?" Joker asked as she walked up beside him, keeping one eye on the screens in front of him while devoting some attention to his commanding officer.

Shepard didn't sense anything out of the ordinary with his acknowledgement – no childish snickering like he'd pulled a fast one on his boss and gotten away with it – just business as usual while he was at the helm. "I was hoping to get your input on how you think this Secret Santa project is working out," she said, trying to keep her tone nonchalant.

Joker shrugged. "For those of us who grew up with Christmas, I think it's a little bit of nostalgia that we might not have known we were missing until you brought it back up. And I think the other races are embracing it in the spirit of things. It's fun sneaking around to try and find the perfect gift. For example, I know Tali's into engines and mechanics and things, but what could I get her after she's already seen the amazing drive core that the Normandy has? I mean, I'm sure she'd love to know the specifics of how it was built, but I'm not too keen on getting my ass court martialed for handing out top secret, confidential information to an alien race. So I had to chat up Engineer Adams, since he spends so much more time with her, and he was happy to help me think up a great gift idea for her."

"So, you're Tali's Secret Santa?" Shepard asked, unsure whether she was disappointed or elated. On the one hand, if Joker hadn't gotten her the strap-on as a gag gift, Kaidan, Wrex, Ashley, Tali, and everyone else on the ship were still open possibilities, which meant she was in for a lot of awkward conversations. On the other hand, it meant that Liara could have... She shook her head, frowning as she tried to push those thoughts from her mind. If she kept thinking about Liara and her new gift, she wouldn't be able to carry on a conversation with anyone.

"Yep," Joker said proudly. "Got her an awesome gift, too, if I do say so myself."

"Is she the only one you got a gift for?"

Joker looked slightly perplexed by the question. "Uh, Commander, I thought you said to limit ourselves to just one gift so that no one felt obligated? Buying for the whole crew would take more credits than any of us have."

Shepard rubbed the back of her neck, hoping her awkwardness wasn't showing on her face. "Ah. Right, then. I did say that. Just... making sure. You wouldn't happen to know who my Secret Santa is, would you? You know, overheard any Mess Hall gossip?"

For a moment, Joker looked confused. Then, his face split in a grin. "Maybe, maybe not. Did you get an interesting present, Commander?"

Shepard knew that the guilty look on her face made denying everything impossible. Instead, she opted for silence, which, unfortunately, was just as incriminating to Joker as an admission. "What was it? A copy of Fornax and some cheap booze? A porn vid? Vaenia, even? Anal beads?"

"I am _not_ telling you what my Secret Santa got me!" Shepard blurted out, upset at how close to the mark Joker's guesses were. "It's none of your damn business."

"Then I'm not telling you who your Secret Santa is," Joker responded. If his retort had been any more immature, Shepard thought, he would have punctuated it by sticking out his tongue.

"You know?" Shepard said as she folded her arms over her chest, trying to intimidate the pilot into telling her. "I order you to tell me, Joker."

"That's against the rules, Commander. You said none of us were allowed to share until after Christmas. Mystery and the spirit of the season, you know."

Shepard sighed, knowing that arguing with Joker was pointless. Besides, if he knew who her Secret Santa was, someone else must have figured it out as well. She would just have to do a little snooping. Some good old fashioned detective work. She would make a list of all the possible suspects and interrogate them until one of them cracked.

"You're right, you're right. I'll just leave you to it, then," Shepard said, effectively ending their little conversation. At least she was sure that Joker hadn't been the prankster. So, with one name checked off her list, the Commander strode along the bridge and towards the lower decks, knowing that was where her crew tended to stay.

She came across Kaidan first, and while she was actually starting to dread her conversations with him because he wasn't getting her subtle hints that she just wasn't interested, Shepard knew she had to talk to him. He was still an excellent soldier, and Shepard respected his biotic abilities, especially at the cost he had to pay thanks to his implant. Out in the field, he took orders well and there wasn't a hint of his infatuation with her, but every time she talked to him on the ship, he couldn't help but hit on her, and soon Shepard knew she would have to turn him down explicitly.

"Hey, Kaidan," Shepard started, hoping he could read the lack of enthusiasm in her voice. But then she thought about it and realized she was always the one to initiate their conversations, so she could kind of see how he might think she was interested.

"Commander," Kaidan replied as he slowly turned towards her and away from the terminals he had been monitoring. Shepard noted that he was a handsome guy with his dark good looks and muscular physique, but unfortunately, Shepard had been drawn exclusively to women, or at least female-figured species, since she'd been old enough to know what sexual desire was.

Not wanting to ruin the good feelings she was trying to instill with her current Secret Santa project, Shepard knew that she wouldn't be shooting Kaidan down today, but she promised herself that it would be soon. "I just wanted to get your opinion on the holiday festivities," she said with a friendly, but not too friendly, smile.

Shepard noticed just the slightest fall in Kaidan's expression, but didn't know exactly what that meant. Was he disappointed that she wasn't initiating a conversation of another sort? Was he regretting his forward choice of gifts? Or was he perhaps unhappy that he hadn't picked her name in their Secret Santa pool? Of course, that last one might just be wishful thinking on her part, because she really couldn't think about it without feeling slightly nauseated. She could also just be imagining things and his muscles were tired from smiling at her so damn much.

"I think it's going well so far, Commander. Even the aliens seem to be getting into the spirit. I saw Wrex getting into the elevator earlier and riding up with a package."

Shepard's eyes bulged, and she hoped her face hadn't turned bright red. "He did? What floor did he get off on? What kind of package? What did the wrapping paper look like?" she shot out in rapid fire.

Kaidan's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what had set Shepard off. "Green, with little pink hanar." Shepard's heart nearly stopped until Kaidan continued. "Apparently, Liara did her research on Christmas. She was the only one that remembered to buy wrapping paper during our last trip to the Citadel. Almost all of us had to use hers."

Well, that didn't narrow things down at all, although Shepard was secretly proud of her friend's resourcefulness. "Oh. I see. Um... have you given your Secret Santa gift yet?"

Kaidan gave Shepard another wary look, obviously a little concerned with her behavior. "Yes."

"What'd you pick out?"

"Something pretty high-tech. I probably spent more creds than I should have, but I want to get on this person's good side."

Shepard's stomach lurched as she tried not to think about the 'good side' that Kaidan might want to get on. His vague, noncommittal answer had frustrated her, especially since his description could very easily apply to the strap-on she had received. She decided to try a different tactic. "Joker figured out who my Secret Santa is somehow..."

"Sorry, Commander. You'll just have to wait until Christmas like the rest of us," Kaidan said with an infuriating smile.

Shepard flinched, and then remembered that everyone was forbidden from revealing who had given what until Christmas. It hadn't been a hidden reference to the note... probably. Hopefully. God, this was giving her a headache. Worst of all, she was no closer to solving the mystery, or relieving her anxiety over who had given her the present.

"I suppose I should follow the rules, since I was the one to make them," Shepard admitted, although she was a little sour about it on the inside. "Thanks, Kaidan," she said as she headed for the elevator, sad to acknowledge that she couldn't strike him off her list of possible suspects. "I'll talk to you later." She cringed as she said the words, hoping that she wouldn't be shooting him down later as she gave back her gift.

Once Shepard was a safe distance away, she let out a sigh and began searching for her next suspect. Luckily, she found Garrus not too far away in the Mess Hall.

"Garrus," Shepard said, with a little more enthusiasm than she had given Kaidan. "What brings you up from below decks? I expected to find you working on the Mako again."

"Hmm, oh, hello, Shepard," Garrus answered with barely a glance up at her, still distracted by whatever was going through his head.

"So, did you get your present yet?" Shepard asked. Subtlety had never really been her strong suit. She was good at persuading people, or bringing them around to her way of thinking, but her methods were inarguably blunt, especially when she was flustered. And Shepard was certainly flustered now.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Haven't opened it yet, though. This Christmas game is fun, I like the anticipation."

"Oh, uh... I haven't opened mine yet either," Shepard lied. "Um..."

Fortunately, Garrus didn't seem to notice how awkward her behavior was. He was preoccupied, his mandibles vibrating slightly as he looked at her with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Hey, Shepard. Mind if I ask a question?" Shepard nodded dumbly, unsure what else she could say. "Sometimes turians buy gifts for people they're interested in. You know, romantically? Do humans do the same thing?"

Shepard nearly choked on the air. After coughing and spluttering for several moments, she wiped her watery eyes and stared at Garrus in a mixture of horror and confusion. "Sorry! I just, I got - it was something in my throat. Could you repeat the question?"

"I was just wondering if humans gave gifts when they were interested in somebody like turians do," Garrus said, not seeming too bothered by Shepard's bizarre coughing fit.

"Yes. They do. It's very common. Um, do you mind if I ask why?"

For the first time Garrus really looked at her as though he saw her instead of acting like he was talking to a wall. "I'm sorry, Commander," he said and Shepard thought that perhaps she could detect the slightest hint of a blush. But did turians blush, or was it just her imagination… again? "I didn't mean to bring up personal matters with you, but I appreciate your clarification on human courting rituals."

Shepard almost choked again at Garrus's words. God, she hoped that Garrus wasn't looking to take her as a mate, because she counted him among her friends and would hate to ruin another relationship by shooting him down. She wasn't entirely sure if turians would consider a romantic rejection an offense to their honor, but if they did, then there would be no hope of salvaging their friendship.

As Garrus moved back towards the elevator, still in a seemingly mystified daze, Shepard wasn't sure whether she was relieved that she didn't have to continue their awkward conversation or if she was disappointed that she wasn't any closer to figuring out who her Secret Santa was. The only person she had definitely ruled out so far was Joker, and her odds certainly weren't improving the more crewmembers she talked to.

Next, Shepard decided she might as well make the entire round of this level, which meant going to see Liara, who was always in her little room behind the medical bay. Shepard was both excited and a little nervous about visiting Liara, like she always was. The asari had made an indelible impression from the first moment they'd met, even when Shepard hadn't been entirely sure if the young maiden was working with her mother and Saren. Now Shepard was certain of Liara's loyalty, and she was only more fascinated by the shy archeologist who willingly put her life on the line during their many missions together.

To get to Liara's little research room, Shepard had to pass through the Medical Bay, and the Commander thought it only polite to stop and talk with Dr. Chakwas, especially when she saw an amused smile playing over the doctor's lips. "What's so amusing, doc?" Shepard asked, feeling an answering smile tug her own lips upwards. This little diversion was exactly what she had needed. A conversation with someone she knew couldn't have any sexual designs on her.

"Some Christmas hijinx gone awry, I'm afraid," Chawkas said in her clipped accent, still smirking. "Garrus received a very interesting Christmas gift from an admirer."

Shepard nearly let out a strangled sound of horror, but managed to stifle it just in time. "Ah - an admirer?" she asked, hoping her eyes weren't popping out of her head too noticeably. "What... what did he get? Who was it from?" What if Garrus wasn't her Secret Santa at all? What if her mysterious gift giver had bought sex toys for more than one person? What if everyone on the ship had gotten one, and this messed up person wanted them to have some kind of giant inter-species orgy? She couldn't handle this kind of pressure!

Chakwas apparently mistook Shepard's fear for amusement, because she began laughing as she explained. "Remember that Doctor on the Citadel, from the Wards? Dr. Michel? She sent Garrus some dextro chocolates and turian brandy, along with flowers from Palaven. Supposedly, it was a thank you for saving her life, but... somehow, I doubt you or Alenko got any gifts from her."

Her strange conversation with Garrus suddenly made a lot more sense, and Shepard sighed with relief. "Ah! That explains all the weird questions about human courting rituals he kept asking me. Thanks, Doc. I was a little worried."

"Perhaps Mr. Vakarian liked the gift more than he's letting on, or maybe he just needs some context in order to write his thank you note. I have to admit that I'm rather jealous."

"Of the attention?" Shepard asked, her forehead creasing. Did that mean Dr. Chakwas was interested in women? She hadn't been sure whether or not to include the good doctor on her list of possible suspects, but perhaps...

"No," Chakwas laughed, "of the chocolate. It's really too bad, I wanted to beg a piece off him. He'll have the whole box of chocolates to himself, unless he decides to share with Tali. "

"Wait, why would Garrus only share his chocolates with Tali?" Shepard asked, her mind finally processing everything that Chakwas had said. She hadn't noticed any particular friendship between the turian and quarian, but they were both technologically inclined.

_'Oh, God,'_ Shepard thought, _'I've been so wrapped up in my crush on Liara and this stupid Secret Santa disaster that I totally missed a burgeoning romance that's been happening right under my nose!'_

"They're the only two on board who can eat the stuff, Commander," Chakwas stated matter-of-factly. Shepard was acting a little more dense than usual today, and she wondered what was distracting their usually observant leader.

"So they're not an item or anything?" Shepard asked in puzzlement, stopping just short of scratching her head in bewilderment. It was seriously beginning to tax her brain power to focus on the shifting dynamics of her crew when she was so worried about who had given her the strap-on.

"Well, there's an idea," Dr. Chakwas considered thoughtfully.

Her answer only confused Shepard more, and the Commander decided to excuse herself before she could get any more confounded. She was eager to see Liara anyway, although she had to mentally prepare herself by chanting 'Liara doesn't think of you that way' like a mantra in her head over and over again. The last thing she needed was another crewmember thinking she was a brainless idiot, especially Liara.

"I'll talk to you later, then, Dr. Chakwas," Shepard said, effectively ending their rather awkward conversation. She stepped around the medical officer and took a steadying breath before passing through into what had effectively become Liara's room since her arrival onboard the Normandy.

She found her friend sitting at the terminal she had been making use of ever since she joined the Normandy's crew, studying the monitor with a seriousness and intensity that Shepard couldn't help but find endearing. Then again, she found nearly everything about Liara endearing. Despite knowing how implausible it was, Shepard still desperately hoped that Liara was her Secret Santa. After taking a moment to push aside the mental image of Liara naked and writhing beneath her as they tested out her present, Shepard cleared her throat and took a step forward.

Liara turned around, nearly upsetting her monitor as she scrambled out of her seat. Her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of purple, and she twisted her hands together in front of her chest. "Oh! Commander, I - I was not expecting you to visit. I know you have been busy, and - I am pleased you have come to see me anyway."

Shepard smiled, allowing herself to hope for just a moment that Liara was flustered because she was interested, and not because she was a little shy. "I always make time for you, Liara. So, what have you been up to?"

"Oh, just doing a little research," Liara said, deliberately stepping in front of the monitor so that she was blocking Shepard's view. When Shepard took a step to the side in order to get a clear view, Liara followed her in an awkward side-shuffle. "Why have you come to see me? Is this a personal visit, or did you have something specific you wanted to ask?"

"A little of both," Shepard said, straining to peer over Liara's shoulder without being painfully obvious. Unfortunately, she was at the wrong angle. "Have you gotten your Secret Santa present yet?"

"I have received my present, yes. Someone got me a very nice biotic amp. Top of the line and very expensive," Liara said, wondering why Shepard was so interested in what was on her terminal screen. Shepard always showed an interest in her research, but the Commander usually came directly to her for information instead of reading from her notes.

Giving up on trying to see behind Liara, Shepard moved forward in her questioning. "Um, are you finding our Christmas customs enjoyable?" she asked, running a hand through her short-cropped hair and mentally cursing herself for losing all of her usually halfway decent game whenever she was around Liara. She wasn't usually so stilted and awkward around women that interested her, but Liara seemed to be different on so many levels.

Liara felt a small tug at her heart as she watched Shepard roughly rake a hand through her hair, mussing the already messy locks. She wished she could reach out and flatten the hair sticking up at all angles, yearning to just be allowed to touch the human. "They are very pleasant. I enjoyed picking out my gift," Liara said, blushing slightly and averting her gaze from Shepard's. "And having Gunnery Chief Williams explaining mistletoe to me is something that I will not soon forget," she continued with an amused smile. "Fortunately, you had already covered the basics with me earlier."

For a moment, Shepard was lost in daydreams about what she would do if she caught Liara underneath the mistletoe. Of course, if that ever happened, she wasn't sure she would be able to stop at one kiss... or one place. "Ash was probably just looking out for you," Shepard said. "She didn't want any of the human crewmembers to catch you off guard and kiss you."

Liara smiled. "She still does not trust me completely, but I think I am growing on her. I was grateful for the warning, since there is only one human that I - never mind." Liara's blush spread from the points of her cheekbones to her neck, and the smooth purple flush peeked out above the collar of her jumpsuit.

Shepard didn't know what to make of Liara's aborted sentence, but she took it in stride. "So, you enjoyed picking out your gift? Delivered it yet?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. I am anxious to see it put to good use."

Shepard swallowed. Loudly._ 'Oh please,' _she thought, _'let my present be from her so we can put it to good use together...'_ But she had the feeling that her hopes were for nothing. Liara was an asari, and obviously inexperienced to boot. If she was going to get Shepard something suggestive, it probably wouldn't be a fake dick.

Still, Shepard couldn't help pushing Liara a little more, although she justified it by telling herself she was just trying to be thorough in her investigation. "So, who did you buy for?" she asked nonchalantly, like she hadn't specifically told everyone that it was supposed to remain a secret until after the holiday was over.

Liara got a slightly panicked look on her face for a second before she calmed down. "I thought it was supposed to remain a secret until after tonight?" Liara asked questioningly. "You did say it was called _Secret_ Santa, correct?"

"Yeah, yeah, I did," Shepard said sheepishly as she rubbed the spiky hairs at the back of her neck. "I guess I'm just a little eager to know who bought for who." It wasn't a complete lie, but Shepard knew she was really just interested in figuring out who had left her gift.

Liara offered Shepard a shy smile. "Curiosity is natural, Commander. I am sure your Secret Santa with reveal themselves in due time."

"You're right," Shepard said. She stood there for another few seconds just enjoying being in the presence of the asari that fascinated her so much. "I guess I should go. I've got a couple more people I need to talk to before midnight."

"Of course," Liara said with a slight bow of her head. "I will see you later," she said with a slight question to her words.

Shepard couldn't stop the little surge of hope that Liara was referring to meeting up later tonight, but quickly squashed it. Liara was not the type of woman to proposition someone so directly. "All right. It was nice seeing you," she said, reluctantly heading for the door to continue her investigation. She didn't want to leave Liara, but their conversation had given her a new target: Ashley Williams. Unlike Liara, Ashley was undoubtedly familiar with sex toys, and she certainly seemed confident enough to purchase one.

Shepard waved as she passed Dr. Chakwas again, and then headed for the elevator, hitting the button for the cargo bay. Ashley would probably be hanging around near the weapons lockers, and perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone and talk to Wrex while she was there. If it couldn't be Liara, Shepard hoped that Ashley was her Secret Santa. She seemed to take blunt statements well, and Shepard didn't doubt that Ashley would back off if she received a firm, "I'm not interested." Kaidan, on the other hand, still seemed determined to push his luck. And the idea of Wrex being interested in her sexually was just plain terrifying.

When the elevator stopped on the bottom floor, Shepard broke free of her thoughts and stepped through the door, surprised when she didn't see Garrus in his usual place. Perhaps he had retreated to think after their earlier conversation. Either way, that was probably a good thing. If Ashley or Wrex did confess to being her Secret Santa, she wanted as few witnesses around as possible.

"Hey, Commander," Ashley said in a surprisingly cheerful voice as Shepard approached. "I got a pretty kickass present from my Secret Santa! Take a look!" Proudly, Ashley hoisted her favorite rifle over her shoulder and turned it on its side. "New heat sink upgrades, freshly oiled and cleaned, and they even blinged it out!" Even Shepard managed a grin when she saw the word 'Boomstick' embossed on the side of Ashley's assault rifle with some kind of shiny silver plating.

"That… is just so you, Chief," Shepard said with a genuine smile crossing her lips. "Do you know who took it and tricked it out?" she asked when she once again remembered her own quest. It couldn't hurt to eliminate another suspect from her list if Ashley did happen to know who her own Secret Santa was.

"Nah, but it's cool, right?" Ashley said exuberantly as she continued to display her rifle.

"Very cool," Shepard agreed. "Did you get something just as awesome for your own Secret Santa?" she added absently, steering the conversation back towards her real goal.

"Absolutely," Ashley replied, still looking lovingly at her weapon. "I spared no expense for Christmas." She finally looked away from her rifle and at Shepard instead, the adoration in her eyes still shining through and confusing Shepard even more. Was Ashley all dreamy eyed for her rifle, or was she thinking of the gift she had left in Shepard's cabin? Shepard looked suspiciously at Ashley, trying to figure out which it was. Ashley was attractive, and Shepard could admit that in another life or situation, she would seriously consider dating the Chief, but it just wouldn't work between them now. Shepard knew they would have a Topping contest if they ever got together, and while she wasn't averse to switching every now and then, it wasn't her norm to play the bottom. Plus, Shepard knew she was too hung up on Liara at the moment to even consider bedding anyone else, which she knew was just sad, since there had been no indication that the asari felt anything similar for her.

Before Shepard could ask Ashley any more questions to narrow down her search, they were approached by Wrex, who had been standing several yards away and observing them for some time. "Shepard! Good thing you're here, Williams won't shut up about her damn gun."

"She's just in the holiday spirit, right, Ash?" Shepard asked, not too surprised when she caught her friend gazing down at her gun with the same goofy expression as before. For the moment, at least, it looked like she was more interested in her assault rifle than figuring out what thread count Shepard's sheets were.

"Yeah. Come on, Wrex, you have to admit that Christmas is pretty awesome. You got your present, right?"

Wrex chuckled. "I did. And mine is bigger than yours." Heading over to his weapons locker, the krogan fiddled with the keypad for a moment before pulling out a gigantic battleaxe. The handle alone was larger than Ashley's entire arm, and the blades were shiny and sharp despite a small chip in one corner.

When she saw the axe, Shepard tried to fake a look of impressed surprise and approval, even though she'd known what Wrex's Christmas gift would be well in advance. She had drawn his name from the hat, and had thought some kind of weapon would suit him perfectly. However, the krogan already had access to all the guns and ammo he needed, so Shepard had gone with something a bit more traditional, even though it wasn't exactly practical. Retrieving Wrex's ancestral battle armor had given her the idea.

Shepard was glad to see that Wrex was enjoying his gift and showing it off to anyone who came along. She had considered writing him a long letter on the history of the battle axe, but had run out of time with her other duties, so she had just decided to tell him when they revealed who had bought for whom in a couple of days. Shepard wasn't entirely sure he would be pleased with an old weapon from Earth, but apparently if it looked deadly, Wrex was happy with it.

"I told you mine was bigger," Wrex said as he proudly wielded the ancient weapon.

His tone made Shepard think that perhaps he was talking about something beside just his double-bladed battle-axe. She jerked her eyes up towards his face, but couldn't detect anything in his expression. Just her luck that she found it extremely difficult to read any krogan's facial expressions. They all just seemed to be steaming for a fight no matter what kind of mood they were in. It didn't stop Shepard from studying Wrex sharply for a few more minutes, but all she continued to see was his pleasure in his present and eventually an annoyance at being scrutinized so closely.

"So, did you get your present yet, Commander?" Ashley asked, bringing Shepard's attention back to her. "I'll bet you got something interesting."

Was it just Shepard's imagination, or was there a suggestive note to Ashley's tone? It wasn't as though the Chief had waggled her eyebrows in blatant invitation, but there may have been something there. But that's what she'd thought with Kaidan, too. And she still wasn't convinced that Wrex hadn't left her that strap-on either – it had certainly been big enough to compare to his species, or at least Shepard assumed, as she hadn't ever seen a naked krogan in person.

"Um, someone left my present in my cabin, but I haven't gotten around to opening it yet," Shepard replied when she realized that both Ashley and Wrex were waiting for her answer. She didn't notice a disappointed look cross either of their faces, and in fact, they both seemed to be rather disinterested, but that could just be a cover. Both of them were soldiers and knew when not to give their emotions away.

Slightly disheartened by her inability to narrow her suspects to even just half her crew, Shepard left Wrex and Ashley adoring their respective weapons and walked towards the engine room. She wasn't too keen on her chances of figuring out anything from Tali, but the quarian was the last member of the crew that was a part of their Secret Santa pool, and something rubbed Shepard the wrong way about leaving her interviews unfinished. As it was right now, Shepard figured she would just lock herself safe and sound in her cabin tonight and forget about the odd present stashed away in her underwear drawer.

Engineer Adams wasn't in the engine room when she walked in, but Tali was in her usual place, tapping away with her dexterous gloved hands. She was obviously working on something, and for a moment, Shepard debated turning around and retreating to her cabin to watch the hours pass until she was safe again without questioning her. But before she could leave, Tali caught sight of her and paused what she was doing. "Shepard! Hello. Were you looking for me, or Engineer Adams? Because I offered to let him catch a few hours of sleep while I took care of things here. He hasn't been resting enough."

Shepard smiled. "That was nice of you, Tali. I'm sure he appreciates it."

"I'm glad you don't mind. Some Captains in the flotilla are very strict about on-duty hours."

"Tired people make mistakes. Besides, everyone deserves a break now and then." Shepard paused, wondering how to bring up the subject of Christmas and the Secret Santa exchange, but Tali beat her to the punch.

"So, did you open your gift yet? Was it anything interesting?"

"Uh... no. Haven't opened it yet," Shepard stammered, hoping she didn't sound too flustered. She ran one hand through her hair, leaving it messier than it had been before. "I'll probably open it later tonight. Let it be a real Christmas present."

"I bet it's something really nice."

"Why - why would you say that, Tali?" Before this conversation, Shepard hadn't considered Tali to be a very likely suspect. Not as likely as Kaidan or Ashley, anyway. But some of the things she was saying seemed a little suggestive.

"Well, you are _Commander Shepard_. Everyone on this ship admires you. I imagine whoever drew your name wanted to get you something special."

"Do you know who drew my name?" Shepard asked cautiously, realizing that Tali had been the first one to seem excited when talking about their Secret Santa pool without going on and on about the present that they'd received. Shepard had thought of Tali as a capable younger sister since she had welcomed the young quarian amongst her crew, and she'd thought that Tali might look up to her in the same familial way, but she'd been wrong before. Could it be Tali who had left that anxiety-inducing gift for her?

"Well, yes, I do," Tali said, her voice tentative. "But I thought we weren't supposed to say until tomorrow," she continued a little nervously.

"I won't tell if you don't," Shepard said softly, with what she hoped was a teasingly conspiratorial whisper. She was afraid that it came out more like a stressed plea, though, because she so desperately wanted to know who her Secret Santa was. She tried to smooth over the awkwardness by giving Tali a trusting, welcoming smile, feeling horrible the entire time for tricking her friend. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Shepard was definitely at the end of her fraying emotions.

"Well…" Tali started, still not entirely committed to revealing the secret, "Garrus and I–" Tali was cut off by the sound of the engine room door whooshing open and heavy boot-steps coming their way. She redirected her focus behind Shepard just as the Commander was about to finally find out the answer to her long suffering question. But with how Tali had started her last sentence, Shepard realized that perhaps it was better if she didn't know for sure. She had the sneaking suspicion that her misunderstanding with Dr. Chakwas might actually be correct, and Tali and Garrus were a couple. Perhaps they were trying to find some way to spice up their sex life, and had decided that this Secret Santa thing was the perfect opportunity to invite Shepard into their bed. Oh, God, she had to get the hell out of here right now!

"On the other hand, I don't want to break the rules. It's not fair to everyone else, you know," Shepard babbled as the footsteps approached and she heard the sound of the door swishing open. "OkayIshouldprobablygonowbye!" Quick as a flash, Shepard exited the other side of the engine room, practically sprinting away and hoping she could sneak back onto the elevator without anyone else noticing.

Back in the engine room, Garrus frowned, looking down at the box of chocolates in one of his claws, and then back at the door that Shepard had just escaped through. "That was strange. What's bothering her?" he asked Tali, taking the lid off and offering some of the chocolates to her. "Here, have some. I can't eat them all."

"That's nice of you, Garrus, but..." Tali gestured at her mask and sighed.

"What if we took them up to the kitchen and melted them? Then you could use a straw."

Tali weighed the pros and cons, and eventually decided that the minimal risk of contamination was worth it. "Good idea! Let's do it."

"So, about Shepard..."

"Oh, she's fine," Tali said dismissively. "We have more important things to worry about. Like chocolate. I'm sick of nutrient paste."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **There characters do not belong to us. They belong to BioWare and any other creators of the Mass Effect universe. We do this for free, fun entertainment and do not mean to offend anyone.

**Rating/Warning:** This story is rated MA (mature) pretty much exclusively for this chapter, which describes the sexual relationship between two women. If you don't want to read about such things, then I suggest you move on to a different story.

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**Chapter 2**

Later that night, Shepard paced in front of her bed, glancing at the door and worrying that someone would barge in at any moment. She hadn't been able to narrow down her list of suspects even a little, and it was almost time for designated meeting hour. She had no idea who it would be, or what she could even say to them except, "Thanks, but no thanks." Someone like Wrex would probably take it in stride, but it would be even more awkward to say no to Kaidan, who had trouble accepting that she wasn't interested in him. She had the 'I'm a lesbian' excuse if it was any of the men, but what could she possibly say to Ashley? 'Sorry, but I'm still secretly hoping to get into a certain cute archaeologist's pants, so this isn't going to work,' didn't seem like a good explanation. And what about Tali and Garrus and their possible threesome request?

Or what if it was all in her head - Tali and Garrus, Ashley's interest, Wrex possibly wanting to get fucked in the ass - and none of these people wanted to have sex with her at all? What if it was someone completely different that she hadn't even thought of, and all her awkward questions had been for nothing? Still nervous, Shepard went over to her underwear drawer and dug out the strap-on, still in its packaging. She stared down at it, hoping for divine inspiration to strike, and all of her questions to suddenly be answered.

A soft knock at the door nearly made her fall over and she juggled the package in her hands until she'd finally gotten control of it again.

Shepard had to remind herself that she was a Commander in the Alliance Navy, the first human SpecTRe, and an all around badass soldier who did not cower in a corner over a little sexual misunderstanding. Sure, she'd been hoping that whoever had sent the note would adhere to the parameters set within it and wait for her in _their_ quarters, just so she could avoid a confrontation, but that didn't mean she couldn't handle this.

Steeling herself to do what was necessary, Shepard straightened her posture and strode towards the door. She could turn down whoever was outside her door. She _would_ turn down whoever was outside her door. Giving herself one last quick mental pep talk, Shepard put on a brave face and waved her hand in front of the sensor.

Shepard barely stopped herself from falling into the doorjamb when she recognized Liara standing nervously in the hallway. She had positioned herself in the middle of the entryway so that whoever was on the other side of the door wouldn't be able to sneak by her before she declined their offer, but now, that was the last thing on Shepard's reeling mind.

"Hello, Shepard," Liara said softly, shyly, barely able to keep from fidgeting as the Commander stared disbelievingly at her. She had known since Shepard had shown up in her room that her carefully laid plans for tonight might have to change. And that assumption had only been confirmed when she'd heard that the Commander had made the rounds to each crewmember, asking about their Secret Santa gift. Shepard hadn't known that the gift was from her, and Liara felt more than a little foolish over the confusion.

For nearly an hour, Liara had considered not taking the risk, and hurriedly finding Shepard another gift so that she wouldn't have to admit to her first failed attempt. But it had taken her so long to build up enough courage to leave the present in Shepard's quarters, so Liara had decided to put her heart and body on the line by going to the Commander's cabin at the stroke of midnight. She only prayed that Shepard had the same feelings for her, and would not turn her away.

"Liara?" Shepard's mouth opened and closed helplessly after she said her friend's name, but she couldn't seem to find any other words. This was something straight out of her fantasies - if a tiny bit more awkward - and she still wasn't entirely convinced that this wasn't a dream. She actually reached over to pinch her own arm before she remembered that she was still holding the strap-on, and nearly dropped it as she hurried to hide it behind her back.

"I came to apologize, Shepard. I know my gift was very forward, but I had no idea you wouldn't... We have been flirting, as Joker would say, for months now, and I thought you would guess that I had sent it immediately. But if I have misunderstood, and you are not interested..."

"No!" Shepard blurted out, reaching out with her free hand to keep Liara from moving away, back down the hall. When her fingers brushed the asari's arm, both of them froze for a split second at the contact. "Well, I mean..." Shepard heaved a sigh and let her hand fall. "Damn it, this isn't fair! I've spent the entire day running around the ship, freaking out because I thought Kaidan or Wrex wanted me to fuck them in the ass, or that Garrus and Tali wanted to have a threesome with me, and now I find out that the girl of my dreams is actually the one who wants me, and I have no clue what to say or do!"

Liara stared at her in stunned silence for a moment, and then a smile curled at the corners of her purple lips. "The girl of your dreams, Commander? Really?"

Shepard seemed to give up and slump forward, obviously giving up. She had already made a fool of herself, and she might as well put her feelings out there. "I'm crazy about you, Liara. I've been hoping all day that you were my Secret Santa, while telling myself that it was only some deluded fantasy."

"Well..." Liara cast a glance towards the strap-on still concealed behind Shepard's back, and then let her gaze linger on Shepard's face. "Perhaps we were both doing a little fantasizing. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I was not sure how. I have never done this before."

"How you felt?" Shepard repeated, her stomach doing flips. "So, you have feelings for me? Romantic feelings? Please say yes, because I am so far gone on you that I'm starting to think I'm going insane."

Liara took a step closer to Shepard, close enough that they shared body heat. "Yes, Shepard, I have feelings for you. I have since you rescued me from Saren's henchmen on Therum. But every decision you have made since then has only reaffirmed that my affections could not have been placed in a more worthy person. You refuse to back down when it would be easier to just walk away with all odds stacked against you, yet you use diplomacy when it is prudent to save lives. You are amazing, Shepard."

As she spoke, Liara leaned closer and closer to Shepard until their upper bodies brushed together. She ran a slightly trembling hand along Shepard's forearm, the one that wasn't hiding behind the Commander's back along with the toy. Liara could not believe how incredible it felt to run her fingertips across the soft, nearly unnoticeable hairs that were scattered over Shepard's arm, so different from her own hairless body.

Shepard swallowed thickly, unable to believe that she was finally going to experience what she had been dreaming about for months. Or was she? Liara may have bought her an extremely suggestive gift, but the asari had confessed to be inexperienced, so perhaps she wasn't exactly aware of what this particular item was. Maybe she had just meant to find a gift that expressed interest, not one that screamed 'Fuck Me!' Even if it would change the course of this night from where she so desperately wanted it to go, Shepard wouldn't feel right if she didn't give Liara an out.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you're the one who got this for me, Liara. But do you know what this really is? Do you understand what it implies that you want from me?" Oh, how Shepard wished she could just whisk Liara off to bed and demonstrate the feelings that were so hard for her to articulate.

Liara flushed a pretty shade of violet and stared at her feet for a moment, unable to meet Shepard's eyes. She did not remove her hand from Shepard's arm, however, and even trailed her fingers down until she was holding Shepard's hand. "Yes," she murmured as her thumb caressed Shepard's knuckles. "I am inexperienced, but not completely naive. After I met you, I began researching human sexuality. Some of it seemed very strange at first, but I have to admit that I was - that I am... curious."

"You want me to use this on you?" Shepard asked, bringing the toy out from behind her back and holding it up. "I hoped, but I thought it might not appeal to you, being asari and all..."

Somehow, Liara managed to press their bodies even closer together. Their lips hovered near each other, and Shepard was afraid that her legs might give out. "It appeals to me very much. I am not sure why. Perhaps the commanding way I saw toys like this being used during my research reminded me of you."

Shepard had to stifle a groan at the thought of Liara's 'research', and suddenly, something clicked. "Wait, is that what you were doing when I came to visit you earlier?"

"Actually, I was reviewing the instruction manual. It is quite extensive. I have to admit that I viewed one or two vids afterwards... for demonstration purposes, of course."

"Of course..." Shepard said, not really paying attention to Liara's answer. Liara's eyes were such a beautiful shade of blue, and her mouth was so close... She just wanted to lean forward and...

Liara's lips were so soft. Soft, warm, and so pliant beneath hers. Shepard had imagined their first kiss many times, and although she hadn't expected the real thing to happen with a strap-on in one hand after a day of running around the ship like a chicken with its head chopped off, the moment was beyond perfect despite all that.

"Ah, Shepard," Liara said shyly when their first sweet kiss had ended. She did not want to ruin a memory she would cherish forever with logistics, but they were still in full view if anyone happened to walk by. "May I come in?" she asked softly, hesitantly, hoping that she now had the right to ask such a question.

Shepard's slight daze lifted almost instantly, and her bright green eyes cleared. She looked beyond Liara and out into the hall, glad to see that they were still alone. Grabbing Liara hastily by the waist, Shepard pulled her across the threshold and let the airlock door close behind them. It wasn't that Shepard was ashamed of her feelings for Liara – far from it – but she wanted the asari all to herself for as long as she could have her.

"You," Shepard began, placing a quick kiss to Liara's jaw, "can visit with me any time you feel the desire. My door is always open, especially for you." She pulled back for a second from her diligent attention to Liara's neck and jaw-line and looked into beautiful blue eyes. "Well, it'll always be open unless you're in here with me and we don't want any interruptions," she amended huskily as she hit the locking mechanism next to the door. No one usually entered her quarters without knocking first, but Shepard wasn't taking any chances.

A shy smile pulled at Liara's lips. "Well, Shepard, I most certainly feel the desire now," she said softly, shocked with herself for even being able to complete the sentence. To hide some of her nervousness, Liara leaned up and kissed Shepard again. The light kiss that she had initiated soon wasn't enough, so she followed the instincts she had been suppressing around Shepard since meeting the dashing human Commander and tentatively burrowed a hand into the short, dark locks atop Shepard's head, bringing them even closer together. While the kiss itself was dazzling, Liara was just as mesmerized by the silky strands running through her fingers, and she couldn't help but continue stroking Shepard's hair, getting more pleasure out of that simple touch than from any contact with any other being before.

As Liara's gentle fingers combed through her hair, obviously fascinated by the alien texture, Shepard was a mess of confusion and conflicting desires. It was clear that she wanted Liara - badly - and Liara obviously wanted her, but she had no idea how to proceed beyond that. Liara was the kindest, sweetest person she had ever met, and Shepard did not want to do anything that might hurt her or make her uncomfortable. However, their kiss had ignited a fire within her, urging her to take and claim the shy archaeologist, and it seemed like Liara wanted the same thing. Shepard wasn't sure how well she would be able to resist her impulses.

"Kissing you is so wonderful," Liara mumbled against her lips, bringing their mouths together over and over again. Some of the kisses were short and sweet, others were long and lingering, and once, Shepard was surprised to find that her tongue had slipped into Liara's mouth, even though she couldn't remember consciously doing it.

Shepard felt like she could kiss Liara forever, but she was all too aware of Liara's warm body pressing against hers, as well as her grip on the stiff, uncomfortable plastic in her hand that reminded her that the asari probably wanted to move beyond kissing at some point... if only Shepard could get her brain and body to start working again. "What... what do you want, Liara?" Shepard asked between kisses. "I don't want to pressure you into..."

Liara laughed softly and pressed another kiss onto the point of Shepard's chin. "You are concerned about pressuring me? I am the one that gave you a sex toy for Christmas."

That was enough to ease Shepard's worries for the moment, and before she knew what was happening, her hands were sliding around to the back of Liara's jumpsuit, fingering the zipper at the base of her neck. She felt slightly guilty for rushing things, but couldn't seem to help herself. Liara made her lose all of her impulse control. Fortunately, Liara didn't seem to mind, and even assisted Shepard by rolling her sleeves down her slender arms, revealing a tight, clinging undershirt. That came off even more quickly than the suit, and Shepard couldn't help but stare hungrily at Liara's naked breasts.

Shepard was glad she had only pulled Liara's suit down to her waist. That way, she could appreciate her lover's breasts without being distracted by any of her other delicious parts. Liara was absolutely gorgeous. She had soft but strong shoulders, probably the result of her physical work, first as an archeologist at dig sites, and now as a member of Shepard's crew.

The Commander let her eyes drift down to Liara's beautiful breasts, admiring the purple tinge of Liara's upper chest as it flushed with what Shepard hoped was arousal instead of embarrassment. "You are so beautiful," Shepard breathed, and flicked her eyes back up to Liara's to let her lover see how much she desired her. She reached out and touched the flat expanse of Liara's stomach, loving the way the muscles fluttered beneath her fingertips.

Liara was so warm and soft, and Shepard was so excited to finally be allowed to touch her. She trailed her hand up from Liara's stomach and just grazed the underside of a pale blue breast, smiling at the surprised gasp the touch drew from Liara's lips. As Shepard continued to drag a finger slowly along the outer curve of Liara's breast, she watched the darker colored nipple pucker and extend, knowing that it ached for direct contact.

"Shepard, I... I cannot stand..." Liara said breathlessly as she pushed her breast further into Shepard's hand, swaying slightly and holding on to the Commander's arm for support. "Your touch is... very distracting."

Shepard smirked, obviously pleased that she could work the normally reserved Liara into such a state. Her fingertips gently pinched the tip of Liara's nipple, experimenting with different amounts of pressure to see what Liara liked best. To her surprise, Liara showed a more enthusiastic response the harder she pinched. Shepard was careful not to cross the line into pain, however. She didn't want to go too far on accident and upset Liara during her first time -

The significance of what they were doing suddenly hit Shepard, and she had a minor internal panic attack. She knew that Liara had not been with anyone before - the asari had told her as much - but she had not really thought about the implications until now. Liara had never done this before, and Shepard wanted it to be perfect for her despite their awkward start.

Slowly, she moved to cup Liara's other breast, teasing her with the gentle warmth of her hand instead of focusing on the hard tip pressing into the center of her palm. "Shepard... please. I was serious before. If you continue to touch me like that, I am going to..." Shepard felt Liara's knees buckle, and helped her over to the bed before she fell down. However, both of them were reluctant to break skin contact, trading caresses on whatever bare flesh they could reach as they sank onto the mattress. "Your clothes. Please... Take them off?"

Still unwilling to break her physical connection with Liara, Shepard gave her lover one more searing kiss before pulling back and standing up. Perhaps if she wasn't touching Liara, she would be able to fulfill the asari's request without getting too distracted. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to go slow, and doubtful that Liara would really appreciate a strip tease this first time anyway when they were both already burning for more, Shepard stripped efficiently out of her tight, long-sleeved compression shirt and dropped it to the floor. She wasn't wearing a bra, so when she brought her hands back down to her sides, Shepard just let Liara look at her. Shepard was pleased when Liara sat up and really studied her, desire obvious in her darkening blue eyes as she almost reached out to touch her.

Liara swallowed noticeably and twisted her fingers in Shepard's bedspread. "Your pants, too, please," she whispered. She could feel her teeth worrying her lower lip, and had to consciously stop herself from continuing the nervous gesture. Shepard had already let her know in no uncertain terms that she desired her, so she shouldn't be afraid that the Commander would suddenly turn her away.

Giving Liara a reassuring smile, Shepard let her hands meet at the button at the top of her pants. "You know, I find it so endearing how polite you are, sweetheart, but you don't have to worry. If you want something and I can give it to you, I will." Still keeping eye contact with Liara, Shepard unbuttoned her pants and slowly lowered the zipper, grinning when Liara's gaze lowered to watch the motion.

Liara's already wide eyes seemed to grow even bigger as Shepard pulled her pants down, and she released a small whimper of need when she saw that the Commander wasn't wearing anything underneath them. She realized her jaw had dropped, and hurriedly closed her mouth. However, she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from between Shepard's legs. She had done her research, so the small patch of hair above the bare, pink lips did not surprise her, but she felt a strong, unexpected tug in her stomach. She suddenly realized that she wanted to spread Shepard's thighs so that she could get a clearer view.

At first, Shepard was slightly embarrassed under Liara's intense scrutiny, but since her reaction seemed positive, Shepard forced herself to relax. She climbed onto the bed, her hands drifting to Liara's naked waist and tugging at the jumpsuit that was still bunched around it. "Your turn," she said, unable to resist leaving a few kisses around the edge of Liara's mouth.

Liara allowed Shepard to help her out of her clothes, and the Commander let out a happy sigh when naked flesh finally met naked flesh. It seemed like everything was happening so fast, but at the same time, not fast enough. She hoped she wasn't pushing Liara, but the asari seemed just as eager for more as she was. Soft, curious blue hands roamed the warm expanse of her back, stroking over the muscles in her arms and shoulders before reaching around to touch the sides of her breasts. Since she seemed hesitant to go further without instructions, Shepard happily moved Liara's hands into place. "It's all right. I want you to touch me. However you want to. Anywhere you want to."

The look of pure happiness and excitement on Liara's face made Shepard's heart skip a beat. It was absolutely adorable, much like Liara herself. Obviously, her message had been clear, because Liara was the one to kiss her this time, and her fingers began circling one of Shepard's nipples.

Liara was mesmerized by the sight of her hand on Shepard's breast, both because this was something she had thought for so long would only happen in her dreams, and because they just looked so right together. She was amazed as Shepard's nipple stiffened right before her eyes, drawing a soft groan of pleasure from the Commander. There was nothing that Liara wanted more than to continue pulling that sound from Shepard for the rest of her life.

Eventually, just touching was not enough, and Liara had the most overwhelming urge to taste Shepard's breasts, just like she had tasted her lover's mouth. It was only Shepard's continued praise that gave Liara the courage to act on her instincts and lean up far enough to pull one of the stiff nipples between her lips. An immediate burst of pleasure rolled through her when Shepard groaned loudly and cupped the back of her crest, keeping her mouth where it was.

Liara played with Shepard's breasts for a while, switching back and forth to give each perfectly formed wonder equal attention. She learned that while Shepard seemed to enjoy any touch she gave, the Commander preferred it a little rough. It was only when Liara nipped gently at an erect nipple, and even occasionally tugged just a little hard, that she was able to draw cries of pleasure from Shepard's body. Liara lived for those sounds and did everything in her power to evoke more of them.

However, it wasn't long before Liara's neck started to burn with the strain of holding it at such a stressful angle for so long. She ignored the protests of her own body for as long as possible, because she did not want to give up her exploration, but she also realized that she was somewhat limited in the areas she could touch by being caught beneath Shepard. Liara released the nipple she was currently laving attention upon and rested her head back against the pillow, feeling a sense of pride well up inside of her when Shepard whimpered disapprovingly at the loss of her warm mouth.

She waited for the Commander to look down at her before rolling her hips in an attempt to reverse their positions. Shepard apparently caught on to the idea quickly, and didn't resist being turned until her back was against the mattress and Liara was above her. It excited Liara a lot to have her strong, commanding lover laid out for her pleasure, and she couldn't wait to explore even more of Shepard. But it was the trust she saw shining through Shepard's beautifully open and expressive eyes that touched Liara's heart, and she had no doubt in that moment that their union would always be about more than just physical pleasure.

Shepard smiled up at Liara and the asari maiden decided that her lover looked just as enticing below her as she did above her. Liara was staring at Shepard with unbridled wonder, unable or perhaps unwilling to hide her curiosity. She set about testing the responses of Shepard's body like a child with a new toy, finding the sensitive places that tickled and the ones that made the Commander shiver, while running her hands along every inch of naked flesh she could reach. Liara spent a long time touching her shoulders and arms, obviously fascinated with the hardened muscles there, and she placed a few kisses along Shepard's stomach, smiling into the warm, pleasantly musky skin. "I have wanted to do this for so long," she whispered as her hands returned to Shepard's breasts. "These are one of my favorite parts of your body."

"Oh?" Shepard asked, feeling much more at ease now that Liara had taken the lead for a while. With Liara on top of her, groping with gentle but eager hands, there was absolutely no doubt that the maiden wanted this to happen and was moving at a pace that was comfortable for her. Shepard could only hope that her own desires would remain in check until Liara had her fun, because as nice as it was to finally have Liara exploring her body, it also tested her self-control.

"Yes."

"What are your other favorite parts, then?" Shepard teased, mostly trying to embarrass Liara and make her blush instead of fishing for a compliment. She succeeded, and Liara did blush as she let her hands drift down along Shepard's sides, sliding part way underneath her to cup her ass.

"I like the muscles here." Liara paused and took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage. "Sometimes, I - I imagine them flexing while... while..."

"While what?" Shepard asked, slightly distracted by the way Liara had moved to straddle one of her thighs, inadvertently painting it with her wetness. The evidence of Liara's arousal helped to ease the last of Shepard's doubts, but it also made her want to explore further. She gently gripped Liara's hips and began sliding her back and forth ever so slightly, encouraging her to grind against the offered thigh. "While what?" she repeated as Liara picked up the motion on her own.

"While you are thrusting inside of me," Liara said softly, obviously wanting to share, but also slightly shy. When Shepard's jaw dropped, Liara misinterpreted her facial expression. "I am sorry, Shepard. I have never spoken about this with anyone..."

Shepard immediately tried to reverse Liara's physical and emotional withdrawal. The asari had stopped rhythmically riding her thigh, and she had averted her now self-conscious gaze. Shepard could feel Liara building up walls around her emotions again, already missing the warmth they had shared just a few moments ago. "No, sweetheart, no," Shepard said softly as she latched gently yet firmly onto Liara's hips to prevent her from withdrawing even more. "Don't be embarrassed. That is the sexiest thing I've ever heard. And it makes me want to fuck you so badly that it hurts."

When she realized exactly what she had said, Shepard winced at her indelicate way of phrasing it. She wanted to be a sensitive lover for Liara, particularly since the maiden had confessed to being inexperienced, but her excitement had gotten the better of her. "Sorry, I don't mean to be so crude," Shepard apologized as she gently stroked Liara's sides.

Liara gave Shepard a shy smile and settled back onto the Commander's hard thigh. "It does not make me feel uncomfortable, Shepard." She leaned down and kissed Shepard sweetly on the lips. "I actually like it," she whispered huskily against Shepard's lips as she gave a particularly hard jerk of her hips against her lover's leg.

As much as Shepard had planned on letting Liara control the pace for a little while longer, having the asari admit that she didn't mind Shepard's baser instincts pushed her a little closer to the edge of her control. So, with a soft growl, Shepard flipped them over and retook her position on top – a position she was confident taking. She loved the little gasp of pleasure that Liara released when she settled between easily parted blue thighs. It was her turn to learn Liara's body and draw out whatever pleasure she could.

Shepard loved all the different sounds that she was able to coax from Liara - the needy whimpers as her hands trailed along the asari's thighs, the low sighs as their bodies pressed together, the cries that slipped out when her teeth sank into the muscle of Liara's shoulder. She adored the way Liara's hips bucked, rising to try and find purchase against her.

"Shepard... Shepard, please. I need..."

The Commander growled against Liara's shoulder, enjoying the way she could feel Liara's pulse pound in her throat. This was what she had been afraid of... being completely intoxicated by Liara. Her voice, her body, her scent. So warm and willing beneath her. Shepard wanted to be buried inside of her, as deep as possible, claiming the woman she had only dreamed about until now.

"Tell me what you need. Anything you want," Shepard panted, her hands sliding around Liara's hips and holding them. She needed Liara to ask her for more, to guide her, because without some kind of direction, she was afraid that she would just start fucking the asari raw. It was growing more and more difficult to keep control, and Shepard wasn't sure how much longer she could last.

"Anything," Liara begged, unable to focus long enough to pick out any one specific thing she wanted more than another. "I want anything you can give me. I want _everything_ you can give me," she amended almost desperately as she clutched at Shepard's strong shoulders. This was an instance where Shepard could do no wrong, and Liara would gladly take anything the Commander offered her, because she needed Shepard with a fierceness that scared her.

Liara had always thought Shepard was a beautiful woman, although perhaps dashing or handsome was a better descriptor just because of the way Shepard carried herself, but there was something even more appealing about her now. She could see the restraint etched into Shepard's face and the way the Commander held herself, straining her muscles in an attempt not to go too fast. That hard fought control only made Shepard more appealing to Liara, and she gently brushed her fingers through her lover's sweat-dampened hair. "You are not going to hurt me, Shepard. You could never hurt me," she said softly, keeping eye contact to reinforce her words.

"I just want you so much," Shepard said, resting her forehead against Liara's and drawing some calm from that intimate connection. She kissed Liara lightly on the lips, letting it deepen as her lover eagerly responded. Shepard kept it as leisurely as possible, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she would crave more of Liara – all of Liara.

Groaning softly at the way Liara moved against her, unconsciously slicking her abdomen with warm, silky wetness, Shepard was reminded how much she wanted to taste Liara. That was something Shepard would not be denied, and she was confident that she could make it good for Liara. With one last heated kiss to Liara's already swollen lips, Shepard began a slow trail down her lover's body.

At first, Liara was slightly confused, unsure why Shepard had abandoned her lips. But she tried to relax as her new lover's kisses dipped lower and lower, covering her chest and shoulders. She gasped as Shepard's warm mouth folded around one of her nipples, lightly teething the hard nub. Liara had not known her breasts could be so sensitive - or that anything could feel so good. Apparently, having Shepard touch her intensified everything.

Even when Shepard continued down, swiping her tongue along the line that bisected the muscles of Liara's abdomen and teasingly kissing one side of her navel, Liara did not realize what was happening. "Shepard... what are you doing?" she asked, panting slightly as Shepard parted her thighs, draping one of Liara's knees over her shoulder. She felt vulnerable and exposed as Shepard stared between her legs, obviously enjoying what she saw if the way she licked her lips was any indication.

"Looking at you. Touching you..." Shepard said, bringing one of her hands between Liara's legs and sliding through the wetness coating her folds. A small whimper caught in the back of Liara's throat, and her head thrashed against the pillow.

"Shepard!"

"Licking you..."

Liara's eyes flew open, and she gasped. "You - Goddess, Shepard, you do not have to..."

"I want to. I _need_ to." Shepard ignored her, sensing Liara's hesitation, but also her need. The asari's clit practically throbbed against her fingertips, and she desperately wanted to wrap her lips around it. And so she did, spreading Liara's folds with her thumbs so that she could seal her lips around the hard little ridge.

Liara stiffened at first, not sure what to make of the strange sensations, and nervous that Shepard would not truly enjoy doing this for her. But then Shepard's tongue began painting patterns over her, and she started clutching the sheets since she did not want to risk grabbing the back of Shepard's head, no matter how deliciously soft the human's hair was.

Shepard was not nearly as experienced as many people seemed to think she was. How universe-traveling super soldier translated into unparalleled fantasy lover with a mistress on every world, Shepard didn't know, but she neither confirmed nor denied those rumors so they continued to circulate. Still, the Commander had enough experience to understand how extraordinarily responsive Liara was, and she couldn't help but hope that it had something to do with her, and not just the fact that Liara's body was exquisitely sensitive. Either way, Shepard knew she was extremely lucky to even be in this position.

It was a bit overeager of Shepard to go right for Liara's clit, but the small, hard ridge tempted her too much, and it twitched with a need that made Shepard want to satisfy every single one of Liara's desires. Shepard couldn't help but wrap her lips around the small bud, nor did she resist the urge to put gentle pressure around the base, which made Liara's hips buck hard. There was nothing quite like learning the pleasures of another person's body, but this time was made even more special because the body beneath hers was Liara's.

As much as Shepard wanted to make Liara come – and she most definitely would a couple of times before the night was through – she released her lover's sensitive clit and dipped her tongue into the waiting wetness just below. She moaned at the sweet flavor that slid over her taste buds, knowing that she had never tasted anything so heavenly. It didn't take much for Shepard to imagine spending hours right there between Liara's thighs, and she would relish the opportunity to do so.

"Shepard," Liara cried as her lover's tongue pushed at the quivering muscles of her opening. She wasn't sure what was exciting her more, how it felt to have Shepard's mouth pleasuring her in a way she had never dared to dream about, or the soft growls that could only be described as possessive emanating from Shepard, even though they were muffled by what the Commander was doing. Truthfully, it was probably a combination of both, but either on its own would be enough to drive any woman insane with ecstasy.

Liara tried to keep her hands twisted in the sheets beneath her instead of clutching at Shepard, afraid that she might hurt her lover in her crazed state, but in the end, it was a futile effort. After seemingly endless minutes of testing her tight opening and making Liara's head thrash on the pillow, Shepard moved her mouth back to Liara's clit. With so many powerful and unfamiliar feelings crashing through her body, it was all Liara could do to keep herself from flying apart, so she figured Shepard would forgive her for burrowing a hand into the soft, thick hair on top of her head and pulling her closer as her world seemed to explode.

As she felt Liara's hips weave against her face, Shepard couldn't help feeling a little smug. Liara seemed so needy and desperate, all for her. It was a huge rush to hear all the sounds Liara made, to feel how uncontrolled her movements were. In fact, Shepard thought, if she didn't know any better from previous experiences, she would have thought Liara was about to...

What could only be described as a wave of desire broke over her, and suddenly, Shepard was not alone in her mind. Liara's thoughts and feelings flooded into her until they were both overflowing. There was a little fear and embarrassment - Liara had never experienced such pleasure before, and her meld had been entirely unintentional – but also desperate, throbbing need and rippling waves of bliss.

_'Oh Goddess, what am I doing... Shepard!'_

Somehow, Shepard managed to retain enough of herself to keep sucking Liara's clit.

They came together, hearts hammering in time and the uneven motion of their hips perfectly synchronized. Slick warmth covered Shepard's lips and chin, and she felt a deep pull between her legs in response. She could feel each ragged pulse of Liara's inner muscles echoed in her own body, and for a moment, the rest of the world blotted out around them.

Slowly, they came back down, still linked through the meld. Shepard hadn't been able to process all of the overwhelming thoughts and sensations coming from Liara during their orgasm, but now, she could savor their connection. As relaxed as Liara's body seemed to be, Shepard could feel how deceptive that stillness was, since she was aware of Liara's racing thoughts. She let the asari think things through on her own for a while, rather enjoying the fact that Liara seemed to have forgotten they were still mentally connected. Shepard knew that all she had to do was move away to sever their physical connection if she didn't want to listen to Liara's inner thoughts, but she felt too happy and replete to move away from Liara's warmth.

_'Goddess, that was amazing. And Shepard… Shepard was so… incredible.'_ It seemed that even Liara's inner voice was still breathless and at a loss for words, which only made Shepard smile even more in satisfaction. _'I have never felt that way… Never thought anything could feel so good. But what did I do? I've never melded without asking before. Oh, Goddess... I cannot believe I forced...'_

It was surprisingly easy to detect the horror reflected in Liara's final thoughts, and Shepard couldn't stand for her lover to feel guilty over something that had only given both of them pleasure. Shepard nuzzled into Liara's flat stomach and placed a kissed just below the blue navel, holding Liara to her just tightly enough so that the asari would know she had no intention of letting her go.

"Sweetheart," Shepard began as she continued to rub her cheek across the silky, soft skin of Liara's abdomen, "you didn't do anything to me that I didn't want." She spoke softly but confidently, not wanting to totally break their intimate moment, but still needing Liara to understand that nothing shameful had happened. "You were spectacular, and I can't thank you enough for letting me share in your pleasure."

Shepard felt more than saw Liara blush at her compliment and pressed one last butterfly kiss to her lover's lightly fluttering abdomen before pushing herself up to lie full length alongside Liara's beautiful body. She left her hand to play across Liara's lower torso, knowing it was a bit of a possessive caress, but unable to resist the urge to do it. Shepard nuzzled into Liara's neck as she settled against her lover, happy to feel Liara's pulse jump once again as she nipped at the sensitive skin there.

Liara was surprised and a little nervous to discover that the physical sensations, the unbearable arousal that had so recently swept her away, had returned nearly full force. Briefly, she wondered if it was always like this. Instead of bringing relief, her first orgasm had only made her want more. Fortunately, Shepard seemed interested in continuing, if the way she was lavishing Liara's throat with kisses was any indication. "Shepard..."

"Hmm?" the human murmured, still nuzzling Liara's neck. She seemed reluctant to stop, but wanted to make sure that Liara was enjoying herself.

"Would you - could we..." Liara blushed, unable to get the words out. Buying Shepard an anonymous gift and then knocking on the door to her cabin had taken all the courage she had. She had none left to ask for what she wanted. "I am sorry. It is... difficult."

"You could always show me," Shepard said, unable to temper the eagerness in her voice. She had enjoyed feeling Liara within her mind, and wanted to experience the Meld again. "You can send pictures and thoughts through the meld, right? Maybe that would be easier."

Liara nodded, flattered and pleased that Shepard wanted to Join with her again so quickly. "All.. all right. If you want to, of course..."

"Oh, I want to."

"Good. Then Embrace Eternity..."

This time, when Liara reached out to touch Shepard's mind, she did so intentionally. It felt soothing, like being submerged in warm water, as Shepard felt thoughts that were not her own begin drifting through her mind. She felt a slight pressure, a guiding presence behind her eyes, and realized that Liara was offering to show her something. Curious, Shepard relaxed and allowed it.

Shepard trusted Liara's instincts, even though the asari had professed to never having initiated a mating meld before. She had done just fine moments ago when she had accidentally started one, and Shepard was excited by Liara's eagerness. She relaxed and allowed Liara the time to organize her thoughts and share whatever it was that she could not seem to put into words.

There was no subtle build up to the images that Liara finally showed her, no scenes of foreplay, and Shepard found it hard to breathe around the arousal that coalesced into a hard knot in the pit of her stomach. Apparently, when Liara had purchased this toy for Shepard, she'd had a particular position in mind that she wanted to try out. Shepard could not deny that she was stunned by the revelation, but she was equally as excited by it.

The images that bombarded Shepard, uncensored through her mind's eye, were of her taking Liara with the strap-on from behind. Liara's mind had constructed a detailed representation of how she imagined it would be, and Shepard couldn't help but be drawn in by the hard, fast pumping motion of her hips and the way Liara rushed back to meet her every thrust. She was engulfed in emotion as a wave of ecstasy washed over her – Liara's pleasure, simulated in perfect detail within the asari's mind. Shepard stiffened in restraint, knowing that Liara wasn't quite ready for the action portrayed in her mind, and fearing that it wouldn't take much to snap her questionable control.

Liara felt Shepard stiffen, and immediately worried that she had gone too far. She knew that the Commander had asked her to share a visual, but perhaps that was being too forward. "I – I am sorry, Shepard. It was only a thought… We can do something else if that is not to your liking," she stammered, desperately trying to backtrack and salvage what had been the most amazing experience of her life. It was all Liara could do not to curl in on herself, embarrassed once again by her inexperience and wishing she knew the proper decorum for this situation.

Before Liara could completely withdraw herself emotionally, Shepard dipped her head and took Liara's mouth in a scorching kiss, one that she hoped left no doubt as to how she felt. It was only when Liara melted beneath her, giving herself over completely to Shepard's passion, that the Commander lifted her mouth enough to be able to respond to her lover's uncertain words. "Believe me when I say that I would like nothing more than to fulfill your fantasy, Liara," Shepard said, leaving no room for Liara to question her sincerity. "You are the sexiest, most amazing woman I have ever known, and I can't possibly express how honored I am that you're trusting me with this."

Liara's relief was so palpable that Shepard sensed it before the asari could say a word. Still, the maiden couldn't help requesting one more confirmation. "This is something you want as well? Something you desire?" she asked, already missing the strength and brilliance of Shepard's mind.

"Oh God, yes," Shepard mumbled into Liara's warm neck. "Just thinking about it makes my clit pulse."

Liara was surprised and a little embarrassed by the unexpectedly erotic statement, but she also showed her approval by baring more of her throat to Shepard's lips and rubbing against one of the human's hipbones. "You know, the model I bought is sensation transmitting. You should be able to feel... well, everything."

This time, it was Shepard's turn to push against Liara and make both of them shiver. "You've gotta stop teasing me, or we're going to end up making that fantasy of yours a reality. Right now. If you're not ready for that, tell me."

Liara's hesitant but hopeful smile was absolutely breathtaking, and for a moment, Shepard swore that her heart stopped. "Why not?"

"I don't know. It's kind of advanced for a first time..."

"I was unaware that there was one standard 'first time' for humans," Liara said. For a moment, Shepard opened her mouth to correct her, but then she realized that Liara was joking. It was surprising, since the shy archaeologist was usually the one missing jokes instead of making them.

"Cute, T'Soni. But you're right. If we both want this, we should try it. I promise to be gentle," she said, wincing slightly at the awkward, stilted words even though she sincerely meant them. Fortunately, Liara seemed to find them sweet, and kissed the point of Shepard's chin.

"But not too gentle, I hope."

"Mm. Not too gentle," Shepard agreed as she reached blindly beside them for the toy.

When Shepard's hand finally came in contact with the packaging, she let out a soft, triumphant cry. It had been surprisingly difficult to split her attention between searching for the strap-on and continuing to lavish kisses and relatively light love bites on Liara's neck. Unfortunately, it was still in its packaging, and after a few moments, Shepard forced herself to pull away from Liara's tempting skin so that she could open it.

"Damn it," she muttered, running her fumbling fingers along the seams to try and find a way to open the stubborn plastic. Finally, after what seemed like ages, it began to pry loose, and she tore it apart with a frustrated grunt, letting the flesh-colored shaft fall onto the mattress. Hurriedly, she returned to kissing Liara's throat, letting her lips travel up Liara's jaw until she could take her lover's mouth in a possessive, promise-laden kiss.

Shepard pulled back, a smug smile firmly in place on her lips when she noticed the slightly dazed expression on Liara's face, and reached for the shaft of the cock beside her. Truthfully, she had not studied it that intensely, mostly because she had been afraid of whom it might be from. Now, though, Shepard noticed the unique design had a sensory transmitter, which she guessed was probably supposed to fit against the wearer's clit in order to work properly. She was still skeptical on the length and girth the model was sporting at the moment, wishing she'd at least read some of the directions so that she could adjust it to something more manageable for Liara without looking totally inept, but instead, she'd spent the entire day searching fruitlessly for the gifter.

Watching Shepard hold the cock that would soon be standing proudly between her legs and knowing that it wouldn't be long before it was inside of her made Liara's arousal spike once again. She was only able to tamp it down when her gaze traveled to Shepard's face and she saw that the Commander had no idea how to adjust it. Shepard was looking at the remote control that adjusted the toy's features as though it were an advanced math equation.

"Shepard," Liara ventured with a tentative smile gracing her features, "perhaps I could assist you with that. I did spend the entire afternoon reading the operations manual, and I believe I have passable knowledge on the subject."

With a look that resembled relief on her face, Shepard willingly handed the remote to Liara. "That's probably best anyway. You're more equipped to know what you're comfortable with," she said. She looked down at the dildo still resting in her hand and glanced uncertainly at Liara. "Um, should I put it in first?" she asked.

"I think it would be better to get the specifics sorted out first. I would not call myself an expert, and do not want to risk damaging you in any way," Liara said, slightly unsure if even reading the user's manual qualified her to operate the toy. It had been an extensive manual and rather complicated, but Liara had diligently read through all of the information that pertained to the features she most wanted to utilize with Shepard. Still, she wouldn't call herself an expert on the subject.

"Just don't press any wrong buttons," Shepard joked as Liara began studying the remote with an intensity that was actually pretty damn adorable. "Remember what happened the last time you did that?"

Liara paused and looked up, her smile so bright that it made Shepard's chest constrict. "I met you. So it was actually a rather successful mistake." Fortunately, the asari returned to what she had been doing before she could notice Shepard's pleased blush. With a few adjustments, the toy began shifting in Shepard's hand, shrinking slightly in both length and girth. The Commander let out a soft sigh of relief. She knew that it was supposed to look large in the case, but she had to admit that the size had made her a little uncomfortable, and it wasn't even going to be inside of her.

"Shepard, please touch part of the toy to your skin."

Although she was a little confused, Shepard willingly did as Liara asked. "All right, but why do you - oh, that's a nice trick," she commented as the surface of the toy began to change color. The pink flesh tone had been a little too dark for her pale skin, but now it was a perfect match.

"And just one more... there."

Shepard blinked in surprise. "That didn't do anything."

Liara raised her eyes, gazing at her with a confusing mix of innocence and seduction that made Shepard's heart stop beating in her chest and leap into her throat. "Oh, it did. I just turned on the sensation transmitter. At least, I think I did. There is only one way to find out for sure..." She took the toy from Shepard, only pausing for a moment before folding her hand around the firm shaft.

"You scientists and your experiments," Shepard said, her voice slightly hoarse as she leaned backwards and spread her legs.

Liara was infinitely pleased that Shepard was happy to let her slip the shorter end of the toy inside. She had already been considering how to ask for that privilege, because something about the act sent shivers up and down her spine. She had fantasized about it upon first seeing the toy on the Citadel. There was just something incredibly intimate about equipping her lover for both their pleasure, and Liara almost couldn't believe that she was being brave enough to act upon her hidden desires.

As eager as Liara was to get to the scene that had played through her mind thousands of times since she'd been rescued by Shepard, she couldn't help but stare in wonder at her new lover. Tonight was a dream come true for her, and Liara wanted as many memories as she could possibly make. With that in mind, Liara reached out with a hand that trembled at every new sensation she was experiencing, and traced a shy fingertip along Shepard's wet folds.

Shepard shivered in pleasure and felt her abdomen clench as she fought against the instinct to thrust her hips towards Liara's touch. She wanted to see how far Liara would go – what Liara was comfortable with – all on her own.

"Oh, Goddess, Shepard," Liara exclaimed softly, almost reverently. "Is this how I feel?" she wondered aloud, not really looking for an answer so much as thinking that she now understood why sex was so addicting. Who would ever want to give up this amazing connection? Who wouldn't be moved by the excitement they could induce in their lover?

"A little thinner liquid, but just as slick," Shepard said on a measured exhale. It wasn't so much that Shepard thought Liara really wanted an answer, but giving one actually helped her focus on something other than the need racing through her body. She wanted to let Liara explore to her heart's content, but she wasn't sure how long she could suppress her normal instinct to take control.

Fortunately, Liara didn't seem in the mood to wait either. Overcoming her shyness, she slipped her fingers forward and gently probed at Shepard's entrance. When she felt Shepard's hips push down and her thighs spread further apart, the positive response made her smile against the Commander's warm shoulder. The sensation of being enveloped by warm, clinging heat was overwhelming, and she couldn't resist pushing further.

"Liara," Shepard murmured as the asari curled her fingers forward, obviously searching for something. Both of them knew when she found it, because Shepard felt her entire body go stiff and clench up tight.

"As I said, I did a little research," Liara confessed, finding the same spot and deliberately pressing against it.

"I - I can tell..." Shepard's eyes drifted shut as she stammered out a reply and chewed on her lower lip so that she wouldn't say anything else embarrassing. When Liara's thumb settled over her clit as the maiden's first two fingers kept curling against her front wall, a strangled cry caught in her throat.

"Goddess, you're wet..." Liara whispered, enjoying the slick sensation around her hand. "Is that all for me?"

Shepard's abdominal muscles tensed, and she strained to hold still. Liara's exploratory touch was driving her insane, and she was afraid that if it went on much longer, she would lose control, slide the toy in herself, and fuck Liara senseless. "Mmhmm..."

The Commander was trembling by the time she couldn't take it anymore, feeling a little guilty for having to cut Liara's fun short but needing to keep a little bit of her dignity intact. Shepard reached down and lightly encircled Liara's wrist, effectively stopping her lover's maddening movements. "If you don't want tonight to end too soon, I would recommend that you stop, sweetheart," she said softly, not wanting Liara to think she was berating her for anything.

"Remember, I told you I did some research, Shepard," Liara said before nipping at her Commander's shoulder, making Shepard groan. "I learned some interesting things about human females and sex. Like the fact that many are able to achieve multiple orgasms within the span of one sexual encounter, just like asari." She punctuated that statement with a hard thrust that had Shepard gasping again.

"Oh, God, Liara," Shepard groaned as she wrapped her arms around the asari and pulled their bodies together. Her stomach muscles cramped with the effort to hold back her orgasm, but she still didn't want to come just yet. "Don't you want me to come inside you instead?" Shepard suggested huskily, although it came out sounding somewhat like begging. Shepard knew it was really her fantasy to be able to come inside Liara, but she hoped her new lover found the suggestion just as arousing as she did.

Liara pulled back rather suddenly, and Shepard was so surprised that she didn't try to keep Liara in her arms. "Thank you, Shepard, I nearly forgot," Liara said as she scrambled to locate the remote and the toy, wishing they had not tossed both aside earlier.

She found it, but quickly realized it would be impossible to slide it in properly with one hand still nestled between Shepard's thighs. "I am going to pull my fingers out now," Liara warned before pressing her lips to Shepard's and slowly extracting her hand from their warm haven. "I hope I can make it up to you by enabling you to do that."

Shepard found it incredibly difficult to hold still as Liara's warm hands spread her thighs further apart, two of her fingers still slick and shimmering. She watched hungrily as Liara wrapped those same fingers around the short end of the toy, coating it as best she could before bringing it between her legs to cover the rest. It was easy. Everything they had done so far had left Shepard wetter than she could ever remember being, and she was fairly sure that Liara could press the toy inside her right away with barely any resistance.

Fortunately, despite her slight hesitance, Liara seemed almost as impatient as she was. It took another moment of searching with her fingers to line everything up, but once she did, the cock slid in to place effortlessly. It seemed to follow her natural contours, and she was pleased that it remained mostly in place even without a harness. The real surprise came when her clit made contact with the dip between the two ends of the toy. Obviously, the sensation transmitter was working after all. Just to make sure, she reached down and folded her palm around the shaft, and even though she was expecting it, feeling the warmth and pressure of her own hand surprised her.

For a moment, Shepard felt self-conscious when she noticed the way Liara was staring between her legs, but the smile of satisfaction that spread across the asari's face made any lingering doubts melt away. Unable to help herself, she sat up and pulled Liara close, nearly making her drop the remote.

"Put that away," Shepard ordered. "I have plans for you."

Realizing that it probably wouldn't be the best idea to toss the remote aside when it could accidently readjust the toy resting inside Shepard, Liara reluctantly pulled away just long enough to carefully place it on the bedside table. As quickly as possible, Liara slid back into Shepard's arms. "Do what you will with me, Shepard," Liara murmured against her lover's neck, inhaling the distinctive, arousing scent that she only associated with Shepard.

With a low growl, Shepard pushed Liara face down on the bed and covered her lover's body with her own. Shepard had always known she was a bit controlling, which usually translated to how she was in bed as well, but she'd never felt this possessive streak that shot through her with Liara. "I believe you had something very particular in mind, sweetheart," Shepard whispered hotly against Liara's crest after nipping the back of her neck just hard enough that it would leave a noticeable mark for a couple of days. "And I have every intention of taking you just like you showed me," the Commander finished with a slow thrust of her hips.

The teasing that Shepard had planned totally deserted her as her cock slid through the silky heat between Liara's thighs. She felt everything, and it was beyond amazing; it felt like her clit was sliding through Liara's wetness, and Shepard was instantly addicted to the sensation. "I don't care how much you paid for this, it was worth every penny," Shepard panted as she rocked her hips once again, even knowing it did nothing to help her rapidly deteriorating control.

Not wanting things to end before she had been able to fulfill both of their wishes, Shepard pushed herself determinedly away from Liara and up onto her knees. She quickly wrapped an arm around Liara's waist and pulled her lover up until the maiden was on her hands and knees. Overcome by a moment of tenderness, Shepard leaned down and kissed the hollow where Liara's spine ended. "I need you to tell me if anything hurts, okay?" Shepard said.

"You will not hurt me," Liara replied, sounding far more confident than Shepard felt. Still, there was more than a little nervousness in her voice as well. Shepard decided to chalk it up to the fact that this was Liara's first experience with sex, and gently ran her hand along the archaeologist's thigh. The sight of Liara on her hands and knees was absolutely breathtaking, putting everything on display, and just the knowledge that only she was privileged enough to admire the view made her own legs weak. Looking was also enough to remind her how amazing it had felt before. The silkiness, the warmth. As crude as it sounded, she wanted that slickness and heat wrapped tightly around her cock.

Caught somewhere between gentleness and desperation, Shepard used one hand to grip the base of the shaft and reached out to stroke Liara with the other. The soft hitch of breath and the way Liara's hips canted back slightly reassured her that her touch was very welcome. Then, slowly, she brought the head of the cock between Liara's legs. Dragging the tip up and down was torturous, especially since she could feel just how wet Liara was, but she didn't want to rush things, either. Every time the tip of her cock reached the bottom and nudged Liara's sensitive ridge, the muscles in Liara's ass and lower back twitched. Shepard grinned, decided she liked that reaction, and did it again. And again.

"Goddess, Shepard. What happened to taking me like I showed you?" Liara pleaded, rocking her hips back and sighing with frustration when their bodies didn't align quite right. "You are driving me insane." Slowly, Shepard adjusted the shaft in her hand until it was positioned at Liara's entrance, pressing in against the tight ring of muscle. She began slow, probing thrusts, just barely pushing inside of Liara, although her instincts screamed for her to go faster and sink as deep inside of Liara as she could.

Liara knew that Shepard was going slowly out of concern for her, and she could feel the tension in her lover's body as the Commander held back. While Liara loved Shepard's chivalrous intentions, she also knew that she didn't want Shepard to be careful or gentle with her – she wanted every bit of passion her lover possessed. So on the next shallow, teasing, testing thrust of Shepard's hips, Liara pushed back hard with her own, taking Shepard's cock deep inside herself.

It was as amazing as Liara thought it would be, and she'd had high expectations after thinking about and lusting after the Commander for so long. She could feel her inner muscles flutter around the shaft, eager to accommodate Shepard, and relished the feeling of finally having her lover the way she had been fantasizing about. Liara couldn't contain the little yelp of pleasure that escaped when Shepard's instincts took over and her Commander finished what she'd started, burying her cock to the hilt.

"Fuck," Shepard groaned as she was enveloped by tight, wet heat. She gripped Liara's hips tighter and gritted her teeth against the need to come, finally able to empathize with those people who couldn't hold back when they were inside their lover. The way Liara rippled and squeezed around her was maddening; Shepard had never felt anything so wonderful.

"This is what it is like?" Liara asked dreamily as she surrendered herself to Shepard's slow but insistent rhythm. "I do not think I will ever want to stop..." Shepard's laughter startled her for a moment, and she suddenly realized that she had spoken her inner thoughts aloud. "I - I mean..."

"No, I agree with you," Shepard said as she tested an even faster tempo. The way Liara's forehead hit the pillow as she arched her hips even higher was the only sign of approval Shepard needed. "I could do this forever." Well, probably not, Shepard admitted privately. The pressure, the warmth, the greedy little twitches of Liara's inner walls as they clasped at the shaft of her cock were nearly unbearable. But if she could have done this forever, she would have.

Unable to help herself, Shepard looked down, desperately wanting to see what they were doing. She was not disappointed. She hadn't known that it was possible for Liara to look any sexier than she already did, but the sight of her balancing on her elbows and knees as her hips rocked back to eagerly meet every thrust made it difficult to breathe. But it was the sight of her cock disappearing inside of Liara with every forward push, and glistening with wetness every time she pulled back out, that made Shepard clamp down on the shorter end of the toy.

The arousing visual made Shepard groan. She couldn't deny that there was some primal, animalistic part of her that totally got off on possessing Liara like this, and it was most definitely possession. But what made it even more amazing was that Liara desired Shepard's possession, begging with her body for more.

Shepard knew her own body rather well, and the pounding in her clit meant that she didn't have very long before she came. The last thing she wanted to do was seek her own pleasure at the exclusion of Liara's, so Shepard slipped her right hand around her lover's hip and between Liara's thighs, searching for the tight ridge of the maiden's clit. Liara's little mewl of pleasure when Shepard grazed it had the Commander's abdominals clenching in an effort to hold back her orgasm.

"Meld with me, Liara," Shepard demanded hoarsely as she nipped at a sweat-sheened blue shoulder. When Liara didn't immediately comply, Shepard took her lover's clitoris between her thumb and forefinger to stroke it. While Shepard had been expecting Liara to initiate the Meld after that, she wasn't entirely prepared for the unpracticed way they spiraled into it. It was all raw emotion and sensations, and Shepard couldn't stop her headlong fall into orgasm as her hips jerked hard against Liara's ass.

She let out a low groan as heat rushed up along the throbbing, full shaft of her cock, bursting from the head in a harsh flood. For a moment, her eyes flew open in surprise. Liara had mentioned something about this, Shepard thought vaguely, but as another spurt of fluid shot from the tip of her cock, bringing pulses of nearly unbearable pleasure with it, she could not for the life of her remember what it was. She surrendered to the sensations, thrusting forward as deep as she could, determined to give Liara everything she had.

This time, Liara wasn't shy or afraid about seeking her release, and strove for it relentlessly, eager to experience what she had felt before once again. Feeling Shepard come inside of her, both physically and through their psychic bond, made Liara arch her back and lift her head, somehow able to match the jagged, uneven motion of Shepard's hips as her inner walls pulled tight around the shaft buried inside of her. Everything aligned perfectly - their bodies, the rhythm of their thrusts, even their aftershocks as their orgasm faded.

Panting and a little surprised that experiencing Liara's desire had made her come so quickly, especially through the cock itself, Shepard fell forward and rested on top of Liara's naked back, their minds still Joined through the Meld. She sensed that her lover was just as overwhelmed. _'That was... amazing. I could see... I could feel – I actually came inside of you...'_ Even within their linked minds, Shepard could not seem to find the words she wanted.

_'I hoped you would like that. It is one of the features that appealed to me the most,'_ Liara thought back at her.

Later, Shepard decided, she would ask Liara how an asari had developed such interesting tastes, but right now, she was just grateful. Liara's desires seemed to match her own perfectly, and she couldn't believe her luck. _'Was it like you imagined?' _Shepard asked through the Meld, although she already knew the answer to her question. That was one benefit of being with an asari - she knew exactly how much Liara had wanted her, how hard her lover had come, and just how satisfied Liara was now. She allowed herself to be a little smug.

"Better..." Liara whispered dreamily, voicing her answer aloud. "So much better."

Reluctantly, Shepard shifted back, needing to get into a more comfortable position. Liara whimpered a little as she pulled out, and Shepard felt the loss as well, but she reassured them both by lying on her side and pulling Liara snug against her chest. It was a dangerous decision, because Shepard knew it wouldn't take much for her to be ready to take Liara again, but she took the chance since it just felt too damn good to be this close to her lover.

Settling into a comfortable position, Shepard splayed her hand possessively across Liara's abdomen, teasing the sensitive flesh with light caresses. Kissing the soft skin of Liara's neck below the asari's crest, Shepard listened to Liara's coo of delight. "I love you, Liara T'Soni," Shepard said softly as she drew her lover more snugly against her body.

"Oh, Shepard, I love you, too," Liara said with a satisfied sigh.. She had no doubt that in another minute, both of them would be recovered enough for a second round. "You know," Liara said as she turned her head and allowed Shepard to kiss the corner of her mouth, "I think we should have Secret Santa every year."


	3. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** These characters do not belong to us. They belong to BioWare and any other creators of the Mass Effect universe. We do this for free, fun entertainment and do not mean to offend anyone.

**A/N:** Let us just say we hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We hope you enjoyed our seasonal story.

* * *

**Epilogue**

"No, I definitely got the best present," Garrus protested, tapping his new visor. "The audio is clear as crystal! Listen!"

"You get a fancy new visor with all kinds of targeting assistance VIs, and you want to brag about the music?" Tali asked, obviously amused as Garrus pressed a few buttons.

"You're assuming I use targeting assistance. Big mistake." Music began playing from the speakers, and Tali laughed.

"Is that what I think it is? The music from Flux?"

Garrus couldn't help looking a little impressed with himself. "Yep. I can send it to your Omnitool. I guess you got double Secret Santa."

"Not exactly secret," Wrex protested, still wearing his battleaxe strapped across his back. It was rumored that he had even taken to sleeping with it, but no one dared to find out for sure.

Shepard looked on in amused silence at the teasing conversations going on around the table. Everyone seemed to be excited about their presents, even Kaidan, who had gotten some outdated piece of krogan weaponry –obviously from Wrex – that probably wasn't any use to him except for maybe as a paperweight. Still, it looked cool, and Shepard was certain that Kaidan would enjoy learning more about it in his free time.

The Commander almost felt like a proud parent as she watched her crew engage merrily with each other. She was relaxed and slouched a little in her chair, her feet splayed out in front of her under the mess hall table. Liara sat in the chair next to her, perhaps a little closer than was necessary, but it was a tight fit with everyone at the same table, so no one seemed to think anything was suspicious about it, even when Shepard draped an arm across the back of Liara's chair.

Shepard was distracted listening to bits and pieces of everyone's happy banter and almost jumped when she felt a hand stroke up her thigh. She turned her head towards Liara to find the asari talking animatedly to Ashley about her own present, the upgraded biotic amp that she had received. Not even Shepard would have guessed that Liara was playing a dangerous game under the table if she hadn't been on the receiving end of the maiden's attention.

Unable to focus on anything other than the maddening circles Liara was tracing on her thigh, inching higher with every pass, Shepard missed the question Tali posed to her. It was only when she noticed that the boisterous noise had died down and everyone was looking at her, including Liara, that Shepard realized she had missed something. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked what your Secret Santa got you?" Tali repeated, wondering at their usually focused Commander's lack of attention.

For a moment, Shepard paused, and the silence was enough to attract the undivided attention of everyone at the table. She blushed, rubbing awkwardly at the back of her neck. She shifted in her seat, all too aware of the eyes staring at her, the pressure of Liara's hand on the inside of her thigh, and the pleasant soreness in her lower back and ass from what they'd done the night before. There had indeed been a round two, followed by rounds three and four in impressively quick succession. "It's private," she blurted out, instantly regretting her decision to tell the truth instead of coming up with a lie when she realized that she would only be stoking everyone else's curiosity with that answer. She should have just thought up a plausible lie and averted everyone's scrutiny.

Ashley raised her eyebrows. "Private, Skipper?"

Knowing that she had no choice but to back up her spur-of-the-moment answer, Shepard crossed her arms over her chest and gave everyone her firmest _'drop it'_ look. "Yeah. It's a personal gift." She nearly gasped aloud when Liara's fingers traveled even higher, teasing her with their presence as the maiden cupped Shepard between the legs. The Commander was shocked at her new lover's boldness, but didn't remove Liara's hand either.

Unfortunately, her threat seemed to have no effect on the rest of the table. "Well... We know Wrex picked Kaidan, and Kaidan picked me. That leaves them out. I gave my present to Joker. What about him?" Garrus said, obviously trying to figure out who Shepard's Secret Santa had been. "He's crazy enough to get Shepard something unmentionable in polite company..."

"Um, I'm still right here," Shepard said, to no avail.

"No, Joker was my Secret Santa," Tali said, completely ignoring Shepard. "And my present was for Ashley..."

"And mine was for Liara," Ashley volunteered.

As one, everyone turned to stare at Liara.

Liara had the decency to blush, but she also had a decidedly satisfied smirk on her face as well. She had to resist the urge to bury her face in Shepard's neck, both because she wanted to hide, and because her human always smelled so good. Unfortunately, such a show of affection would definitely give away their new relationship, and Liara wasn't entirely sure if Shepard wanted the entire crew to know.

"You know, none of you helped me when I was asking about my Secret Santa, so I don't think I'm obligated to answer your questions now," Shepard said matter-of-factly, drawing the attention away from her lover. It was perhaps a little petulant, but Shepard was hoping that at least one of her crew members would see the logic in that conclusion and convince the others to let her off the hook.

"Oh, I don't think so, Shepard," Joker said as he finally wheeled in to join the rest of the crew. "I've been dying to know what Liara came out of Pandora's Toybox with, and I will go to any lengths for an answer. Just remember, Commander, you're off the ship an awful lot, and I can find a lot of different ways to access your cabin if I have to."

To say there was a collective gasp at the knowledge that Liara had been seen visiting Pandora's Toybox, a well know adult entertainment store, was an understatement. This time, when everyone turned to look at her in stunned silence, Liara didn't resist the urge to bury her face in Shepard's shoulder. Liara wasn't embarrassed about her purchase, but she was definitely embarrassed that everyone now knew about it. Even telling herself that sex was a normal part of any relationship, and that each crew member had undoubtedly indulged before, didn't help the deep purple blush from washing over her cheeks.

"You know, they sell clothes at Pandora's Toybox," Shepard defended weakly. Her attempt to deflect the silent stares was unsuccessful.

Ashley shook her head. "Lingerie sets don't count as clothes, Skipper."

"Come on, Commander. It's not fair of you to keep us hanging like this," Joker protested, unwilling to let the subject drop. "We all told you what our presents were."

"Maybe it was a pair of handcuffs," Shepard lied through clenched teeth. "And if you don't shut up, I'll handcuff you to Wrex's hump and let him use you as a shield on the next away mission."

Instead of being amused by the imagery, Wrex sulked. "Then where am I supposed to put my new Battleaxe?"

Shepard rolled her eyes and stood up, pulling Liara with her and allowing her arm to wrap around the asari's waist. "Look, I know you're all just teasing, but my Secret Santa present was private, and I'm not telling anyone what it was. You can tease me about it for a while, but if I catch any of you pestering Liara... well, let's just say that you'd better keep a close eye on your own presents. Just in case."

Tali smiled behind her helmet as she noted the protective way Shepard held Liara. It had been obvious to everyone on the crew, except maybe Kaidan, that the Commander had been fascinated with the shy asari since they'd rescued her. Joker had even tried to start a betting pool over when Shepard would finally get together with Liara, but he hadn't gotten a great response since they all respected the Commander so much.

Before the young quarian could speak up and defend the two new lovers, Garrus beat her to it. "I think it would be best to respect the Commander's wishes," the former C-Sec officer said. As curious as he was about their inevitable romance, Garrus wanted to respect Shepard's privacy.

"I second that suggestion," Tali piped up before anyone could veto the idea. She saw Joker opening his mouth to object, but hoped he would let it go if multiple crewmembers agreed that Shepard and Liara should be allowed to keep that part of their lives private.

"Wise words, you two. But just in case, let's make that an order." Shepard stood up, gripping the same hand that Liara had been teasing her with moments before and helping the suddenly shy doctor to her feet. "Teasing Liara about Secret Santa is off limits unless you all want your own gifts tossed out the airlock. Got it?"

Ashley saluted, Garrus and Tali nodded their agreement, Wrex grunted, and Joker looked incredibly disappointed. However, they all seemed to accept what she was saying. "Good. Now, if you don't mind..." Shepard didn't even bother with an excuse as she escorted a very flushed looking Liara towards the safety of the elevator.

"Oh Goddess, how could I be so dense?" Liara blurted out in a nervous rush as Shepard held her arm. "I had no idea everyone would be comparing gifts. I could not even come up with a believable lie! Perhaps I should have gotten you a second present, so that you would have something to show the rest of the crew..."

Shepard grinned, her good humor returning now that she was alone with Liara. "You can always give me another present now... although I'm not sure I want you showing this one to the crew either." The slightly panicked look in Liara's eyes made Shepard laugh and clarify further. "I meant once we get to my cabin, Liara."

"That was not funny, Shepard," Liara said seriously as she resisted the urge to smack the Commander's arm for her teasing. She was still too inexperienced to even consider exhibitionism at the moment; her deepening relationship with Shepard far too new. Still, perhaps she could beat Shepard at her own game. "You know, just for that comment, I think I will go back to my own quarters. Alone." With a definitive nod of her head, Liara started to walk away.

"Liara, wait, I'm sorry," Shepard apologized as she jogged after the asari and caught hold of her arm.

A small smile curled Liara's lips as she spun around and slung her arms over her lover's broad shoulders. "I suppose I can forgive you _this time_, Commander," Liara purred as she nipped at Shepard's neck, "but I suggest you watch yourself in the future."

They stood there in the hallway for a few minutes, Liara subtly working on leaving a hickey on Shepard's neck while the Commander was happy just to hold her. "Mmm, I think I'm ready to give you that other present now," Liara murmured happily into her lover's flesh. "Perhaps we can try that position I kept seeing through the Meld last night. What did you call it… cowgirl?" the asari suggested innocently.

Liara's light, joyous laughter radiated through the halls as Shepard grabbed her by the hand and dragged her willingly towards the privacy of the Commander's cabin.


End file.
